Winter in our forests is a harsh and inhospitable time. Low temperatures and a small amount of food lead to the fact that many forest inhabitants do not survive until spring. Do you know, for example, how protein is prepared for winter? This small animal is very active and therefore especially needs a large amount of nutrients.
Unlike other inhabitants of the forest, squirrels do not hibernate. But this does not mean at all that they do not prepare for themselves a warm and reliable shelter from the winter cold. As a rule, a hollow or a crevice in a tree acts as such.
The animal lines it with moss and its own hair, creating a thick pillow. But how is protein prepared for winter in terms of food? After all, she will not be able to get food from under the snow.
That is why the squirrel makes impressive reserves. She hides nuts, acorns and seeds of cereal plants in large quantities, "packing" them in hollows and secluded forks of trees.
Proteins are especially appreciated by pine nuts, since with a small volume they are distinguished by high nutritional value. Since the squirrel prepares for the winter very carefully, sometimes there is a real hunt for its supplies, so that it is forced to properly mask its hiding places.
It should be noted that this animal hides its supplies so well that sometimes it can’t even find them. So in the forest new oaks and spruce appear: seeds from forgotten supplies sprout, giving life to a new generation of trees.
Remember the illustrations for children's fairy tales, in which a squirrel hollow is painted, and dried mushrooms hanging around it? So, squirrels really do that. They simply prick edible mushrooms on suitable knots, and after drying they hide them in the same hiding places. Typically, winter protein stocks include a lot of this valuable product. Dry mushrooms are not only nutritious, but also take up little space.
As we have already said, a hollow serves as a refuge in the event of severe cold. But one should not think that the squirrel is limited only to the fact that wool and moss lay on its bottom. Her work before the onset of cold weather is hard: the animal completely digs out all the cracks, looking for suitable shreds of wool and fluff throughout the forest. If the frosts are especially severe, then she does not even leave the shelter, spending all her time in a warm and reliable hollow.
But how is squirrel prepared for winter, apart from picking up supplies? An important part of this process is molting: it takes off its bright summer coat, changing it to a more suitable gray “camouflage”, which disguises the animal much better on the background of the winter forest. This is very important: since the “trifle” like mice and hamsters remains deep under the snow, owls, hori, martens and other predators switch to squirrel.
Last but not least, in winter the number of too young and too old animals sharply decreases, weakening their attention and falling into the claws of predators.
I must say that the survival of these cute creatures in severe winter time is greatly helped by people, setting up feeders in the forest. If crop failure occurs, then such top dressing is the only chance for the squirrel to survive, because otherwise it simply does not have enough supplies.
So you have learned how protein is prepared for winter: this process is rather complicated, and the animal has to work hard.
