Determined, strong and competitive, the gray squirrel fits right in at UA.
Of the three squirrel species that call Alabama home — the flying squirrel, the fox squirrel and the eastern gray squirrel — Capstone squirrels all seem to be eastern grays, according to Todd Hester, museum naturalist at UA.
Weighing about one and one-half pounds and about 16 to 20 inches long, this confident rodent has not let its small size deter it from establishing a range across a large portion of the country and the entire state of Alabama.
Squirrel Habitat and Habits
Made for life in the trees, the Capstone squirrel thrives in UA’s urban oak and pine forest. Though squirrels prefer the permanency of a hollow tree, they will also live in leafy nests, where they raise one to two sets of babies each year.
Squirrels come down from the trees in the early morning and early evening hours to feed, mainly on acorns, bark, nuts, berries and seeds. Much like a UA human with research notes, squirrels are “scatter-hoarders.” They spread caches of acorns everywhere. If forgotten, the acorns will sprout into new trees, completely unlike the forgotten pile of notes, which will not sprout into completed research papers.
Gray squirrels do not hibernate and must eat nutrient-dense food all year to survive. Like humans, junk food is not good for them.
The Squirrel-Human Dynamic
Squirrels have about 20 needle-sharp teeth they use to gnaw open foods as tough as hickory nut shells. A squirrel will use these same teeth to defend itself when frightened. The risk of rabies from a squirrel bite is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control, but squirrels do carry other diseases. And, they will chew up items ranging from insulation to wires. And they stare at you, which can be unnerving.
For the most part, though, Capstone squirrels are cute and funny, and can appear almost tame. This leads some to wonder if they would make good pets.
“No,” said David Marlowe, assistant manager in building maintenance at UA. “They are not pets and they are very unpredictable.”
What should you do if you encounter a Capstone squirrel where it doesn’t belong? “Contact Customer Service to submit a work order,” Marlowe said. Pest control will catch the squirrel and relocate it to a more squirrel-appropriate location.
Sometimes, however, accidental squirrel-human interaction happens. Dr. Russell McCutcheon, professor in the department of religious studies, last year unknowingly locked a squirrel in his office on the second floor of Manly Hall.
“The offices all open onto balconies, which let in the elements and in this case, a squirrel,” McCutcheon said.
