WINTER BURROWS
             Four sharp front teeth chew through the shells of nuts. Little paws gather seeds, nuts, grains, and grasses and pack them into a burrow. (A burrow is a deep tunnel where animals live and store food.) Burrows can be five to thirty-five feet. Burrows have one to several squirrels living in it. Most of the digging for the burrows is done in the spring.
             Ground squirrels are active during the day. They spend a lot of their time in their burrows. They store their favorite foods, raise their babies, sleep, and hide from danger. Farmers don't like these types of squirrels, because their burrows damage plants. When the squirrels dig their burrows some of the dirt and rocks cover grass and plants. The piles of dirt can break the machines such as lawnmowers and tractors that the farmers use on their land.
             This animal is about seventeen inches in total length, has a gray-brownish fluffy tail, white fur around the eyes, and light brown-gray fur covering its body. This animal is called the California Ground Squirrel. Ground squirrels are different from tree squirrels. They run into their burrow if they are frightened while tree squirrels will climb up a tree.
             Before winter's icy breeze starts to chill the air, the squirrels know what they must do. They say goodbye to the blue sky above and the green grass below. They start collecting their favorite nuts and pack them into their burrow. They know that a long cold winter is about to come so they need to stock up on food. It is important that the ground squirrels gather as much food as they can during the fall, so they will have enough food to last them during the entire winter. If there is a food shortage during the fall, the squirrel may not survive the winter in hibernation. Once their burrow is stocked of their favorite foods, they are ready for a long sleep. This sleep lasts for about five to six months. It&ap...