Squirrel Wisdom

“My emotional reactivity is a gift of my animal nature.

It allows me to feel things quickly, to respond to danger before it arrives, and to keep my community safe with my alarm call.

The Squirrel teaches me that reactivity is not weakness—it is the alarm system that keeps the tree safe.

Today, I choose to let the Squirrel remind me that my quick feelings are a form of wisdom, not a flaw.

I am allowed to be fully, freely, and fiercely alive to the world.”

Squirrel Behavior

The Squirrel is a creature of heightened alertness and quick response. It lives in colonies, sharing the landscape with neighbors, yet it rarely socializes. Instead, it watches. When a predator approaches—a coyote, a hawk, or a rattlesnake—the Squirrel does not freeze in silence. It emits a sharp, metallic alarm cry, a series of rapid notes that warns every squirrel within earshot. And then it acts. It may race for its burrow, stand on its hind legs to scan the horizon, or—most remarkably—turn and face the threat head‑on.

Against rattlesnakes, the Squirrel does not retreat quietly. It employs bravado and spunk, harassing and mobbing the predator with a boldness that seems far too large for its small body. It can even distinguish between venomous rattlesnakes and harmless gopher snakes, adjusting its response accordingly. Within the colony, too, the Squirrel’s emotions are visible. Females are more often the sentinels, watching from higher ground, while tail‑flicking signals tension and submission during encounters. The Squirrel feels everything—danger, excitement, irritation—and it shows. Its emotional reactivity is not a flaw; it is the trait that keeps the colony alive.

Emotional Reactivity

Emotional reactivity is the tendency to respond quickly and intensely to emotional stimuli. Reactive people feel things strongly and express their emotions openly. They are passionate, empathetic, and quick to defend themselves or others. They are often the first to notice when something is wrong—the first to sound the alarm. The Squirrel teaches us that reactivity is a survival trait; it alerts you to danger, it signals your boundaries, and it can even protect those around you. But learning to pause, to take a breath before the tail-flick, is a skill that can be cultivated. The most reactive person also has the greatest capacity for courage, once they learn to channel their quick feelings into wise action.

Reflect on Your Own “Animal Nature”

· Think of a time when your emotional reactivity helped you respond to a real threat. What did it feel like?

· Do you overreact to small provocations? What would help you pause before reacting?

· Where did you learn that expressing emotion is either encouraged or punished?

· If the Squirrel could speak to you, what might it say about the difference between vigilance and panic?

“The Squirrel does not apologize for its alarm call—it keeps the whole forest awake.”

What do you share with the Squirrel—and what might it teach you about your own animal nature?

The Natural World

The squirrel seen in the image is the western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus), the largest native tree squirrel in the Pacific Northwest. Its defining feature is an amazingly bushy, blackish‑gray tail edged with white, nearly as long as its body. Its coat is a beautiful silver‑gray with a pure white belly and white crescents bracketing its eyes. This species prefers oak and conifer forests, traveling through interconnecting tree canopies and feeding on pine cones, acorns, fungi, and even insects. A staple part of its diet is acorns, which it will bury in the ground or hide in tree cavities—a behavior called scatter‑hoarding. When the nuts are ripe, the Squirrel gathers them, storing extras to eat in winter and, in the process, planting forgotten seeds that grow into new trees. The female builds a nest of sticks and leaves, or uses a tree cavity, to raise a single yearly litter of two to four young.

The western gray squirrel is listed as a species of Least Concern globally, but its populations face serious threats in parts of its range. In Washington, it is classified as an endangered species, with only three isolated populations remaining. Threats include habitat loss and fragmentation from logging, wildfire, and land conversion, as well as road mortality and competition from introduced eastern gray squirrels. In the Santa Monica Mountains, the Squirrel is a rare and increasingly vulnerable resident, dependent on connected oak woodlands for its survival. Protecting mature oak forests, preserving wildlife corridors, and driving carefully in woodland areas help these watchful, reactive squirrels continue their vigilant watch.