Ohio Outdoors: Nutty for squirrels

Since February is the month when we celebrate Groundhog Day, I thought I’d write my column about squirrels. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Is she off her nut? Let me explain. Groundhogs are actually members of the squirrel family. They are considered ground squirrels along with Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrels and Chipmunks. But what I really want to talk about today are Portage County’s tree squirrels.

By far the most well-known squirrel is the Eastern Gray Squirrel. It is estimated that there are millions (that’s plural) of Eastern Grays in Ohio. Needless to say, their status is secure.  Although coyotes and foxes hunt squirrels, they cannot put a dent in the population. Of course, the majority of the Eastern Gray’s natural predators have been eliminated from Portage County. This, combined with an abundance of food has led to a massive squirrel boom.