By: Efran Zhao
I’ve always wondered how squirrels can climb and scamper through trees with little effort. How can squirrels jump so far from place to place? How come I’ve never seen a squirrel fall before? And what would happen if they fell?
Squirrels’ light and flexible bodies, along with powerful hind legs, help them leap through trees quickly to search for nuts. You’ve probably seen squirrels climb down a tree head-first. This is because squirrels have double-jointed ankles, capable of twisting a full 180 degrees. Also, their claws are extremely sharp, helping them dig into the trunks of trees.
Additionally, squirrels can survive a fall from any height, and this is because their terminal velocity (maximum possible falling speed) is much smaller than those of other animals due to their lightweight bodies. Their bushy tails and stretchy bodies can act as a parachute, maximizing the air resistance, further slowing their falls. When they land, the hind legs of the squirrel act as shock absorbers. Because of this, squirrels actually have a higher chance of surviving from higher falls than lower ones, as they have time to prepare for the impact.
Sources:
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.com/1046/how-do-squirrels-climb-down-trees-head-first/