Caucasian squirrel

This page does not present a separate quantitative study of the Caucasian squirrel’s diet from Georgia. Across its range, much of its food consists of tree seeds and fruits, including acorns, beechnuts, chestnuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts. Fruit, berries, mushrooms, and occasional animal food such as insects, eggs, or nestlings are also described. It stores some food in different caches. Some forgotten seeds may later germinate, so the squirrel also takes part in seed dispersal. The specific local diet in Georgia has not been separately measured by the sources used on this page.

The Caucasian squirrel is active by day and does not hibernate. It often moves in the morning and late afternoon, while activity may decrease around midday in hot periods. Compared with the Eurasian red squirrel, it also moves on the ground frequently. It often nests in tree hollows lined with moss and dry leaves. Nests are also described in other sheltered places, including among roots, rocks, and buildings. Caucasian sources describe two moults per year, in spring and autumn. The breeding period is broad, although dates described from Transcaucasia cannot be applied directly to every Georgian population. It usually gives birth to several young, which are cared for by the female. Its call is described as a sharp, metallic “chit-chit-chit”. The audio used on this page is from Turkey and was identified with incomplete certainty by the recordist; no Georgian audio recording is presented here.

IUCN assesses the Caucasian squirrel globally as Least Concern. The situation in Georgia is different: the 2014 national Red List places the species in the Vulnerable category (VU, A1e), where pressure from an introduced squirrel is listed as one reason. The introduced Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) also occurs in Georgia, and in some places the ranges of the two species overlap. Forest loss and historical fur harvest are also mentioned as additional pressures. A current quantitative trend for the Georgian population has not been established by the sources used on this page. Global Least Concern status does not mean the species has no conservation need in Georgia.