By Richard W. Thorington Jr.
Were you aware groundhog is known as a kind of squirrel? That squirrels regulate their physique temperature with their tails? that almost all squirrels have yellow-tinted eye lenses that paintings like sun shades to minimize glare? That tree squirrels can flip their hind toes thoroughly round while mountaineering down a tree head-first? In Squirrels: The Animal solution advisor, Richard W. Thorington Jr. and Katie Ferrell unveil the attention-grabbing global of 1 of the "most watched" mammals on this planet. the range of squirrels is amazing. There are 278 species that inhabit all continents other than Antarctica and Australia—varying in dimension from the lumbering 18-pound grey marmot to the sleek pygmy flying squirrel that's smaller than such a lot mice. in lots of components of the realm they comfortably proportion human habitats, becoming a member of us for lunch in a urban park, raiding our chicken feeders, and sneaking into university dorm rooms via open home windows. Reviled as pests or enjoyed as an endearing leisure, squirrels have performed vital roles in exchange, literature, and mythology. Thorington and Ferrell disguise each point of this diversified animal relations, from the 1st squirrels of 36 million years in the past to the current day. With over 100 pictures and an intuitive question-and-answer structure, this authoritative and interesting advisor sheds mild on a typical mammal that's something yet typical. (2006)
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Reports of ground squirrels swimming are more scanty. In 1883, renowned American zoologist C. Hart Merriam observed a juvenile woodchuck swimming across a lake in the Adirondacks but considered this an unusual observation. Golden-mantled ground squirrels have been seen swimming across small streams, and under experimental conditions, Richardson’s ground squirrels swim capably. All ground squirrels probably can swim but few choose to do so. In contrast, flying squirrels are not good swimmers, and there are some reports of them drowning when they landed in water.
Instead, they glide. With the aid of a special membrane, they can glide from a higher perch to a lower one. The physics behind the gliding of the flying squirrels is fascinating. By starting at a high point and moving toward a low point, a gliding squirrel converts the energy created by the vertical drop into forward movement and can glide three to four times as far as it drops. In other words, a flying squirrel can glide half the length of a football field from a 15 m (50 feet) tall tree. Under some conditions, in particular, if there is an updraft, they can go farther.
If a surgeon were to pin your radius and ulna together near the wrist, you would not be able to pronate or supinate your hand, which would greatly reduce your manual dexterity. Form and Function 33 (Left) A museum specimen of the Selangor pygmy flying squirrel lies on top of a giant flying squirrel, illustrating the range in body size among flying squirrels. (Right) An x-ray of the complete arm of a southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans). Note the styliform cartilage, where the gliding membrane attaches.