The Guernsey Squirrel: Quick Facts: The Guernsey Squirrel

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Quick Facts: The Guernsey Squirrel

Name: The Guernsey Squirrel
Scientific Name: Sciurus Guernseris
Weight: 2 kg (4.41 lbs.)
Length: 0.61 m (2 feet)
Color: Golden fawn- deep bronze rust, gray tipped fur, cream underbelly, black eyes
Temperment: A social working class animal, docile and easily trained.
Food: Prefers the Guernsey Hazelnut
Uses: A non-pelt rendered animal, it is more profitable to shear the silken pompadours biannually and use as gathering livestock for nut harvesting.
Location: The Bailiwick of Guernsey, The Channel Islands, UK

Status: Protected Livestock
Notable: The national animal of Guernsey:

The Guernsey Squirrel

The Golden Guernsey Squirrel is a rare breed of squirrel from the Bailiwick of Guernsey on theChannel Islands. They were first brought to Great Britain in 1943, but are extinct everywhere except on the Bailiwick of Guernsey. It is a sub-breed of the Red Squirrel and has evolved into being known as the Guernsey Squirrel.

Like the Guernsey cow and the Guernsey goat, the Guernsey squirrel is a golden fawn color with hues ranging from pale blond (generally in the summer) to a deep bronze-rust color with gray accents. The underbelly is a cream color. The Guernsey squirrel is best known for it's lavish swirl of silken fur between its ears that flops into a pompadour. The Guernsey squirrel is prized for this constantly growing lop of fur and several farmers on the island raise the squirrel and shear the fur bi-annually.

This docile and friendly squirrel is highly intelligent and easily trained. The year-round mild climate found on the island causes a endless cycle of nut production by a variety of hazelnut tree only found on the island. Guernsey squirrel farmers train these animals to harvest the nuts from which they make the distinct and rare Guernsey Squirrel Nut Spread.

Adult head and body length varies between 14 inches (36 cm) and the tail length is approximately 2 ft (0.61 m). Adult weight - 2 kg (4.41 lb).