Even though squirrels are a very visible form of Houston wildlife, we know little about them. Were you aware, for instance, that their brain shrinks and increases in size with the seasons, and that far from being pests, they are crucial to forest ecosystems?
Kelsey Low of the Houston Arboretum has studied our squirrels in depth. She’ll tell you what’s cool about them and what they do to survive. Most importantly, she’ll make you appreciate these little rodents in an entirely new way.
Resources on the Houston squirrels episode:
- The Houston Arboretum, where you can observe squirrels.
- Wikipedia on the Eastern Gray Squirrel.
- Wikipedia on the Fox Squirrel.
- Wikipedia on the Southern Flying Squirrel.
- PBS Nature: “A Squirrel’s Guide to Success.” This is a wonderful documentary about squirrels, which I mentioned in the interview.
- The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, whose southern flying squirrel vocalization you heard in the episode.
- Courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine, here is the Indian giant squirrel, which Kelsey suggested you look up.
The Magical World of Houston Squirrels – Episode Transcript
To view the episode transcript, click here to open the pdf file.