Eastern gray squirrel peeking out of its den

© Darlyne A. Murawski/Getty Images

Eastern gray squirrel peeking out of its den

Winter solstice is here, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. While many animals hibernate through these cold, dark days, eastern gray squirrels are wide awake. During winter they forage for food and rely on the food they’ve stashed in hiding spots throughout their territory—a behavior called scatter-hoarding.