Douglas Squirrel - Description
The Douglas squirrel is a small tree squirrel, which is most commonly seen in coniferous forests. Douglas squirrels’ diet is mostly granivorous, but they are technically omnivores. They feed on nuts, berries, mushrooms, some fruits, tree sap, seeds from cones of coniferous trees and even eggs of birds. They are different from other squirrels because they are unlike other tree squirrels, which they lack pouches in their cheeks to hold their food. Also, these squirrels live in either a hollow tree or a drey constructed at the top of a conifer.
Problem
There is a huge problem! We have discovered that the Douglas squirrels have become extinct. Now that the Douglas squirrel is removed from the ecosystem, there will be drastic changes in the forest community. The predators of the Douglas squirrel will decrease as they will have less prey to eat. Therefore, they will have to resort to other sources of food. When that happens, the Douglas squirrel’s predators will eat up more of the other prey, decreasing the amount of other organisms that are available to eat. As that organism dwindles, all predators of that organism will go hungry, causing a dwindle in all the animals that depend on that organism as a food source. On the other hand, the prey of the Douglas squirrel will increase drastically. That will result to the number of berries, nuts, mushrooms and fruits to skyrocket. Moreover, pollination of plants will decrease as well. Without the squirrels eating berries and fruits, the seeds inside it will have no way to reproduce. For example, when the squirrel eats a blackberry, the seed will go through its digestive system, and will eventually be brought out into the environment again as feces. However, when this happens, the seed will start to grow and it will be in a different area due to the movement of the squirrel. As a result, without the squirrels there to eat the fruits and berries, these plants will have a harder time to reproduce. Well, why should we even care if this happens? Not only does the loss of a species of squirrels affect the ecosystem, it will also affect us, humans. Since there is a lack of food for the predators of the squirrel to eat, they will start roaming into human communities, which would endanger many children and seniors. One of the squirrel’s predators is the coyote, which has already caused harm and trouble within our community. Moreover, there are long term effects to the ecosystem too. If there are no other animals to replace to role of the Douglas squirrel, many its predators will dwindle in numbers and even have the chance to become extinct. Furthermore, the prey of the squirrels may become invasive species, since they are growing and competing with the other plants at such an alarming rate. As a result from such a small change in the environment, it will cause a major change in the ecosystem and community will no longer be in balance.
The Douglas squirrel is a small tree squirrel, which is most commonly seen in coniferous forests. Douglas squirrels’ diet is mostly granivorous, but they are technically omnivores. They feed on nuts, berries, mushrooms, some fruits, tree sap, seeds from cones of coniferous trees and even eggs of birds. They are different from other squirrels because they are unlike other tree squirrels, which they lack pouches in their cheeks to hold their food. Also, these squirrels live in either a hollow tree or a drey constructed at the top of a conifer.
Problem
There is a huge problem! We have discovered that the Douglas squirrels have become extinct. Now that the Douglas squirrel is removed from the ecosystem, there will be drastic changes in the forest community. The predators of the Douglas squirrel will decrease as they will have less prey to eat. Therefore, they will have to resort to other sources of food. When that happens, the Douglas squirrel’s predators will eat up more of the other prey, decreasing the amount of other organisms that are available to eat. As that organism dwindles, all predators of that organism will go hungry, causing a dwindle in all the animals that depend on that organism as a food source. On the other hand, the prey of the Douglas squirrel will increase drastically. That will result to the number of berries, nuts, mushrooms and fruits to skyrocket. Moreover, pollination of plants will decrease as well. Without the squirrels eating berries and fruits, the seeds inside it will have no way to reproduce. For example, when the squirrel eats a blackberry, the seed will go through its digestive system, and will eventually be brought out into the environment again as feces. However, when this happens, the seed will start to grow and it will be in a different area due to the movement of the squirrel. As a result, without the squirrels there to eat the fruits and berries, these plants will have a harder time to reproduce. Well, why should we even care if this happens? Not only does the loss of a species of squirrels affect the ecosystem, it will also affect us, humans. Since there is a lack of food for the predators of the squirrel to eat, they will start roaming into human communities, which would endanger many children and seniors. One of the squirrel’s predators is the coyote, which has already caused harm and trouble within our community. Moreover, there are long term effects to the ecosystem too. If there are no other animals to replace to role of the Douglas squirrel, many its predators will dwindle in numbers and even have the chance to become extinct. Furthermore, the prey of the squirrels may become invasive species, since they are growing and competing with the other plants at such an alarming rate. As a result from such a small change in the environment, it will cause a major change in the ecosystem and community will no longer be in balance.