Animal Facts
Squirrel Facts & Trivia: Fascinating Things to Know
Squirrels make up a family of over 200 species that range from the tiny African pygmy squirrel, at just 5 inches long, to the Indian giant squirrel, which can stretch to 3 feet. Their 4 front teeth never stop growing, so they gnaw constantly to keep them filed down, and they get especially active in late winter when mating season begins. Beyond the backyard, squirrels have also become pop-culture regulars, from Scrat's acorn obsession in Ice Age to Rocky the Flying Squirrel.
Squirrels are everywhere — backyards, city parks, deep forests — yet most people only know them as the acrobats raiding bird feeders. There's more to this family than that: a family tree with hundreds of branches and a love life that gets surprisingly busy once mating season starts. This page rounds up what makes them worth a closer look.
Fascinating Squirrel Facts
Squirrels belong to the Sciuridae family, part of the order Rodentia, class Mammalia, phylum Chordata, and kingdom Animalia — a large family, with over 200 distinct species spread across the globe. Size varies wildly across the group: the African pygmy squirrel tops out around a mere 5 inches, while the Indian giant squirrel can stretch to a full 3 feet.
Most squirrels land somewhere in between, ranging from about 12 grams in pygmy squirrels to 8 kilograms (18 pounds) in the largest marmots, with familiar tree squirrels usually weighing a few hundred grams. They make their homes in woodlands and thick forest cover. Like most rodents, their front teeth never stop growing, so they gnaw constantly to keep them filed down. Squirrels also ramp up their activity in late winter, right as mating season kicks off.
- Over 200 squirrel species exist worldwide
- The African pygmy squirrel is the smallest at roughly 5 inches long
- The Indian giant squirrel can reach up to 3 feet in length
- Their 4 front teeth grow continuously throughout life
- Weight spans ~12 g (pygmy squirrels) to 8 kg (largest marmots); tree squirrels usually a few hundred grams
- They're busiest in late winter when mating season begins
- Home turf: woodlands and dense forests
- Taxonomy: Animalia > Chordata > Mammalia > Rodentia > Sciuridae
Squirrels in Movies, TV & Music
Squirrels have earned plenty of screen time as scene-stealing sidekicks and chaos agents. Hammy brings frantic energy to Over the Hedge, while Scrat's endless acorn chase became one of the running gags of the Ice Age franchise. Classic animation gave us Rocky the Flying Squirrel from Rocky and Bullwinkle and Secret Squirrel from the Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show, plus Slappy Squirrel causing mischief in Animaniacs.
Nickelodeon fans know Sandy Cheeks from SpongebobSquarepants, and further back, Rupert starred in the film The Great Rupert. Music has given squirrels their moment too: novelty tunes like "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" (1984) and "Sneezy the Penn State Squirrel Song" (2013) have kept the bushy-tailed theme alive on the airwaves, alongside the simply-titled "The Squirrel Song."
Frequently Asked Questions
How many species of squirrel are there?
More than 200 recognized squirrel species live around the world, ranging from tiny tree-dwellers to much larger ground squirrels.
What is the smallest squirrel species?
The African pygmy squirrel holds that title: it measures only about 5 inches long from nose to tail.
Why do squirrels gnaw on things so much?
Their 4 front teeth never stop growing, so squirrels chew constantly to wear them down and keep them at a manageable length.