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Hedgehogs, dormice and bats may all be fast asleep as the winter bites but hibernation is just one strategy which animals have developed to survive the cold. Some store food in preparation while others continue to forage as usual. In fact, the winter months are a time . of intense activity and excitement for some creatures. We have recently been much entertained by the antics of our neighbouring grey squirrels. December is one of their two main mating seasons, involving much exciting chasing. We are constantly amazed by their agility as they pursue each other, spiralling round the trunk of our oak tree, pausing every so often spreadeagled against the rough bark, then off again, scampering up into the highest, thinnest branches. It's not all rough and tumble. One sunny morning we watched a pair sitting close together on a branch, tenderly grooming each other. Squirrels have a fairly limited number of vocalisations but watching this pair we were reminded of the importance of body language in animal communication. The tail is particularly important. When a squirrel is alone, foraging on the ground, say, the tail is either curled back over its body or undulating behind it. However, if another squirrel appears, just see the difference! The tail becomes vibrantly expressive -quivering, twitching, flocking from side to side, the picture of eloquence. Foxes are very active now, too. You are much more likely to see a fox in the suburbs of Leeds than in the countryside, so well has this resourceful animal adapted to city living, but if there are foxes around, January is when you will be aware of them. It's the peak of the mating season and a fox's courtship is a very noisy affair. Foxes have a rich vocabulary - 28 different vocalisations recorded - but you are most likely to hear two at this particular time of year. There is the series of sharp, staccato barks with which they call to each other over distance, often three or more animals joining in the conversation, and the eerie shriek generally produced by the vixen, enough to chill the blood if you don't know it, but very exciting if you're a fox. Should you be lucky enough to see foxes meeting, then you will find their body language equally fascinating. The ears - either flattened back or pricked forward; the mouth - lips drawn back in a submissive grin or mouth agape in aggression; the tail - lowered and swishing to and fro in conciliation or borne proudly aloft, and, indeed, the whole body posture. All are part of a complex language expressing relationship, status and probably much more. [Back] |