squirrel extermination

The Antelope Squirrel

There are many species of squirrels that live among us and each one of them have particular uniqueness that distinguishes them from among the others. It is important that we get to know and understand these species and know their differences to enhance our environmental and biological appreciation of their species. This add-on to our knowledge will not only broaden our perspectives on the biodiversity of life, but will also awaken our sense of awareness and concern to our degrading environmental conditions. Hopefully, the accessing of additional information will foster wisdom and vigilance among us to be more proactive in the fight against planetary destruction; to curtail the culture of apathy and to actively promote the salvation of our planet.

One way to do about introducing new information is to learn the biological background of one specific species. The next step would be to understand the species while we learn more from them. Then we continue on learning more about different species as well and become more appreciative to them. We have to be very careful and concerned not to let the information we have read pass through us like it was just a mere transient thing. We have to make it a point that this crucial and relevant information will be absorbed not only in our minds but also in our hearts. This way we will truly cultivate a sense of empathy to our environment through caring those species we have learned much from.

In this article, we will talk about a specific species of squirrels and its biological backdrop. These types of squirrel are quite common but generally dwindling in numbers as the human intervention and the destruction of natural habitats continue on. If we get to understand them, then we may be able to help on working the ways on how to preserve them, even in our own little ways once we see them at certain situations or occurrences. This species of squirrels are called Antelope-squirrel. Learn more from them and make it a point to understand their nature and eventually truly care for them in the long shot. Also, attempt to spread out your understanding on them after reading this article so that more and more people will become awakened from their indifference. Eventually, you will no longer stand alone in your fight for the concern of the creature species in this world.

Background Study

Antelope squirrel is the common name for the type of small rodents that are naturally found in the western parts of North America. The other name for an Antelope squirrel is antelope ground squirrel as they are actually classified as ground squirrels since they dwell mostly in lands and they are rarely found in arboreal territories. The antelope squirrels are perhaps more commonly found in really dry areas, such as dry-lands and deserts, somewhere along the northwestern parts of North America, extending to California to as far as North Mexico. They can also be found as far as the northern parts of Texas. Since their natural habitats generally have vegetations, they would spend most of their time in the ground searching for food, digging burrows to stay.

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Contrary to where it got its name "Antelope", which happens to be relatively large species of animals, antelope-squirrels are small squirrels and they are actually smaller than the common grey squirrels we found in frequenting public urban places, such as parks and residential backyards. The size of an antelope squirrel would only range from 14-17 centimetres which should be around 5.5-7 inches in total length. They also have relatively shorter tails which ranges from only around 6-10 cm or 2-4 inches. They are also relatively light. They weigh somewhere around 142grams only. The bodies of the antelope squirrel can be distinguished by its fur which is usually coarse, light brown in color, with a hue of red or accents of grey. A distinguishable narrow white stripe can also be distinctively seen from their shoulders to their ramps. Their bellies and the underside of their tails are also colored white. Humans often mistake antelope squirrels as chipmunks because of their behavior to scamper around when searching for food. Chipmunks also scamper a lot.

Antelope squirrels' diet is mainly based on the general normal die of any squirrels in the world which is on nuts, seeds, roots, some plant materials and sometimes small insects. However, antelope squirrels are also known to scavenge for animal corpses. Antelope squirrels also have cheek pouches. They use them to carry their found food back to their burrow dwellings. Antelope squirrels are also not nocturnal animals. They prefer to be more active at day time where the sunlight would aid them in their search for food.

Antelope squirrels are actually quite nomadic. They may create their own dwelling by digging burrows into the ground; however they don't usually stay in just one burrow. They transfer from one burrow to another from time to time, carrying their young along with them. Antelope squirrels also have longer mating periods than any other squirrels. Their mating period would last as long as late winter and would even extend as long as late spring. The gestation period for female antelope squirrels is estimated to be sometime around 30 to 35 days and gives birth to a litter of five to fourteen young antelope squirrels. Sadly, most of the time, a half or three quarters of the conceived young will not survive the initial year. However, for those who will survive, they could live for as long as five years. Antelope squirrels are rendered inactive during winter but they do not hibernate.

However, these beings are actually considered pests to certain locations since they do eat agricultural crops and burrow holes in the ground which could cause the soil to erode or leak the apparent irrigation network systems, losing the nutrition due for the vegetation. The influx of urbanization and other land development projects in light of commercialization has dramatically reduced antelope squirrels in numbers in certain areas of America. California is almost running out of antelope squirrels at present because of their unprecedented commercial developments.
squirrel extermination

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