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To celebrate the release of The Nut Job,
in cinemas now, we are taking a look at some of wonderful woodland
creatures we have in the UK.
The Nut Job introduces us to loads of
great animals that live in the parks, cities and countryside of the
United States.
Some of them you'll recognise - squirrels
like Surly and Andie, as well as Mole, mice and rats, while others
like Raccoon and the groundhogs The Bruisers don't live in the UK.
Here, we take a look at some of the coolest
animals you can find around Britain...
 Red
Squirrel
The red
squirrel is native to the UK and has sharp, curved claws to enable
it to climb up and down broad tree trunks, thin branches and even
house walls. They can also swim! Red squirrels used to be more
common, but the introduction of the grey squirrel from the USA has
seen its numbers dramatically drop and they’re now quite rare in the
UK. Their bright fur and tufty ears make them easy to tell apart!
 Fox
Foxes are related to dogs, and are
widespread across the UK as well as many other countries across the
world. They live in small family groups and are clever hunters ,
going after rabbits, mice and other small animals. Although normally
shy of humans, there are also big populations of urban foxes that
live in towns and cities, and scavenge for food by going through
bins!
 Badger
Badgers are nocturnal and take shelter
underground, living in burrows called setts, which they can dig to
be very extensive. They can be fierce and will protect themselves
and their young at all costs. They like to eat things like eggs,
worms, and other grubs, as well as roots and fruit. They are from a
family of animals called mustelids, which also includes honey
badgers, wolverines and weasels
Wildcat
The wildcat looks a lot like a normal tabby
cat, but has a more muscular body, with well-defined brown and black
stripes and thick fur. They are very intelligent, fearless, patient,
agile and powerful creatures. Wildcats are very rare now, and only
live in in the West Highlands of Scotland.
 Hedgehog
Hedgehogs are easily recognisable by their
spines, which are hollow stiff hairs. Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so
you’re more likely to see them at night, but they are sometime
active during the day. When they feel threatened, hedgehogs can curl
themselves up into a ball to protect themselves. They’re also one of
only three mammals in the UK that hibernate through winter.
Mole
Moles are small with velvety soft fur. They
live underground so their eyesight is bad, but they have very
sensitive noses and big strong clawed hands to dig through the
ground. While it’s unusual to see an actual mole, you might see
their molehills – these are small piles of earth created by the mole
burrowing near the surface.
 Red
Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer
species, and can be found all over the world. Only the stags (male)
have antlers, which can grow up to a metre long! They live in
Scotland, the Lake District and around the South West of England, as
well as in large parks and rural areas scattered across England and
Wales.
 Pine
Marten
The Pine Marten is about the size of a
domestic cat. They live in wooded areas, mostly in Scotland, though
there are small populations in England and Wales as well. They have
semi retractable claws, which enables them to climb and run along
tree branches, but also be quick on the ground. They are mainly
active at night and dusk.
The Nut Job hits UK cinemas on the
1st August 2014 – be sure not to miss it!
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