THE SQUIRREL IN THE NOVELLA RIVER PARK

One of the funniest and most curious animals, which you are most likely to come across in the Park, is the squirrel. This cute rodent hides on plants and will catch your eye between leaps.

The woods that characterize the Novella River Park are the ideal habitat of the squirrel, as it prefers closed environments, to escape the numerous predators that live in the Park. Do you know what strategies he uses when he feels attacked?

There are mainly two:

• It climbs along the trunk of the tree in a spiral to deceive the birds of prey, as this movement they cannot follow
• Jump on lower branches or from tree to tree to escape the voracious marten

Another little curiosity that you may not have known… Does the squirrel hibernate or not?

The squirrel does NOT hibernate, but in a SEMI-hibernation; In fact, it is possible to see it even in winter.

The coloration of the fur varies depending on the subject: from reddish to almost dark gray. The most curious part, however, is the tail which has a dual use: firstly, it is one Communication tool with its peers, secondly, it is the part of the body that acts as a Counterweight to maintain balance on the slender branches, it is the rudder when it jumps and the parachute when he jumps into the void, to escape some attack.

WATCH OUT FOR SQUIRREL TRACKS

When walking in the woods, pay close attention to your surroundings, you may find tracks that indicate the presence of squirrels nearby: shells of walnuts, hazelnuts or acorns, nibbled pine cones, droppings or tufts of fur.

Hazelnut shells

The skeleton of an eaten pine cone

Ah, I almost forgot… During your trek you will have a good chance of crossing it, so, be ready to immortalize this cute little animal with a shot! 😄📷