Ground & Grey Squirrel

An adept climber, the eastern fox squirrel has sharp, curved claws which give it good grip, as well as unusually flexible ankle joints which allow it to rotate its feet by 180 degrees as it descends tree trunks head-first. The eastern fox squirrel is active year-round and usually forages during the day. This species builds leaf nests, known as dreys, in which to shelter and to raise its young. The drey is built in a tree and consists of a large ball of leaves and shredded material on a platform of twigs, with an entrance at the side and with a lining of shredded material. Each squirrel may use a number of different leaf nests, and this species will also nest inside tree cavities, particularly in winter.