cute Squirrel hanging upside down ! - ācweorna ?!?!

Ever heard of the word – ācweorna – and know what it refers to ?? 

They are chirpy, extremely active, adorable !  - the Squirrels.  Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents.  

The word squirrel, first attested in 1327, comes from the Anglo-Norman esquirel which is from the Old French escurel, the reflex of a Latin word sciurus, which was taken from the Ancient Greek word σκίουρος  'shadow-tailed', referring to the long bushy tail which many of its members have. The native Old English word for the squirrel, ācweorna, survived only into Middle English (as aquerne) before being replaced. 

ஓடி ஓடி உழைக்கணும்; ஊருக்கெல்லாம் கொடுக்கணும்

ஆடி பாடி நடக்கணும்; அன்பை நாளும் வளர்க்கணும்

… ..   …வயுத்துக்காக மனுசன் இங்கே கயிற்றில் ஆடுறான் பாரு

ஆடி முடிச்சி இறங்கி வந்தா அப்புறம் தான்டா சோறு

ஓடி ஓடி உழைக்கணும்

படம்:நல்ல நேரம்

இசை: K.V.மகாதேவன்

பாடல் : வாலி

பாடியவர்: டி.எம். சௌந்தரராஜன்

 

Squirrels just happen to eat a lot of things. Squirrels have a natural appetite for many native fruits, flowers, veggies, fungi, nuts, tree, plants and insects to their habitat. .. .. and they climb trees with ease, sometimes hanging on branches too !!

 Most animals, including humans, hang or climb down trees feet first. While squirrels can climb down trees right-side up, you could  see them hanging too.  That's because of their unique physiological attributes: razor-sharp claws paired with swiveling ankle joints. 

All tree squirrels have ultra sharp claws in common. When a squirrel digs his needle-like nails into a tree limb, he can get a strong grip, allowing him to climb upwards and downwards, or even cling to a tree limb or tree trunk using only his hind legs. His claws also allow him to grip as he jumps from tree to tree, using his tail as a rudder, allowing him to swerve or stay the course. 

The secret weapon allowing tree squirrels to hang upside down on trees is their ankles. Unlike most rodents, whose ankles lock in place and point in one direction, squirrels have swiveling ankle joints, allowing them to climb and hang in various positions. These rotary-like ankles allow squirrels to rotate their feet 180 degrees. That way, they can hang on a tree limb, with their feet pointing one way, while their bodies point the other! 

Here are couple of unnatural poses of our friend squirrel

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
11.3.2023