Many people know that squirrels, these fluffy and cute animals, live in forests. But not everyone knows that these animals are very whimsical, and therefore they do not live in every such biotope. They need only fairly bright high-stemmed forests in which they can find enough food. By the way, what do proteins eat?
No matter how strange it may seem, but their menu includes not only nuts. Squirrels feel quite comfortable even in an orchard or even a vegetable garden located near the forest. But what do the proteins in it eat?
Of course, coniferous seeds, hidden in cones, make up a decent part of its diet. But it can just as well eat cereal grass seeds, apples and pears from forest "wild animals", as well as the buds of some tree species. Do not disdain proteins with mushrooms and berries. But you can be very mistaken when you see the vegetarian nature of their diet. So what do proteins eat besides cones and berries?
It turns out that these cute and charming animals can willingly eat a bug, and if they find a bird’s nest they will not turn their nose off eggs or even chicks. By the way, it was due to these aspects of their nutrition that protein often found itself under suspicion of “sabotage”. So, in Poland this species from 1900 to 1960 was placed under state protection twice, and then the label of the protected species was removed from it as much. But the way and what squirrels eat does not cancel their harmful effect on the forest as a result of human stupidity.
So, after the First World War, the Polish authorities found that in the forests of the country this species was virtually gone. Strict laws were passed prohibiting all hunting for protein. Ten years later they were so bred that there were no cones in the forest districts to reproduce the population of coniferous massifs. Remember what squirrels eat in the forest besides cones?
The huge squirrel population not only “gnawed” gnawed the entire crop of cones, but simultaneously destroyed almost all the young singing birds. Only after this, a person began to think that when preparing and adopting environmental laws, many factors must be taken into account, and the nature of the nutrition of the protected species should be considered not least.
As for the squirrels that live in urban areas, populating parks and forest zones, they are often completely dependent on the people who feed them. They can be given nuts, special food for insectivores and rodents, bread and fruits. Please note that it is not recommended to feed protein with sweets, as there is already enough carbohydrates in their diet.
It is very interesting to watch them eat nuts. The animal takes the nut in its paws and, quickly rotating it (like on a lathe), makes a hole on the side where the fruit is pointed. After this, the protein inserts the two lower incisors into the hole made.
What is so unusual? The fact is that in these animals (like many rodents) the lower jaw consists of two halves, which are connected by elastic ligaments. The animal simply spreads its incisors slightly to the sides, and the nut is split in half.
Now you know what proteins eat in nature.
