Red squirrel carries mushroom which will be added to its growing winter larder.

Each fall in preparation for a long, cold winter red squirrels here in Alaska begin a frenzied gathering of food.  Their hoarding behavior has very important survival benefits.  Gathering food in the fall, before snows arrive will save time and energy.  During the short days of winter red squirrels need to conserve their energy.  When snows cover the forest floor red squirrels are more exposed to predation and the less time they must spend searching for food the better. Continue reading →