Hypersquirrel

## North American Hypersquirrel

* **Scientific Name:** *Tamiasciurus hyperceleritas*
* **Description:** Hypersquirrels (Also known as the Devil Squirrel or Tree Terrors) are an Awakened variant of the American Red Squirrel (*Tamiasciurus hudsonicus*). Like other red squirrel variants they can be distinguished from other North American tree squirrels by their smaller size, territorial behavior, and reddish fur with a white venter (underbelly). Hyperceleritas can be distinguished from hudsonicus by its red, semi-luminous eyes and extended incisors, as well as the difficulty in observation caused by its extreme speeds.
* **Habitat/Range:** Hypersquirrels are widely distributed across the North American continent. Their range includes: most of the Niswi-mishkodewinan and Na-Dené Nén , excluding northern areas with no tree cover, the northern half of Seliš-Bukwus Chíchelh Sq'èp ; the southern half of Inuit Nunangat ; the Oceti Ŝakowiŋ , and northern half of the UCAS. Hypersquirrels are abundant and not of conservation concern throughout much of their range. Most of the NAN classifies them as an invasive species, despite being native to their home range.
* **Size:** Hypersquirrels are slightly smaller then *hudsonicus* at 25–33 cm total length (including tail), and 175–225 g in body weight.
* **Diet:** Omnivorous.
* **Behavior:** Hypersquirrels are opportunistic feeders, like their unawakened cousins they are primarily granivores, with seeds making up approximately 50% of their diet but their high metabolisms necessitate a wide range of feeding strategies, including fungus (Hypersquirrels eat most mushroom varieties, including those that are deadly to metahumans), plant matter, buds, berries, bird eggs, metahuman trash and hunting. Hypersquirrels are known to hunt creatures up to 150% of their mass. In times of scarcity, the usually territorial Hypersquirrels have been known to form swarms to bring down even bigger prey, including Jackalopes.

White spruce cones mature in late July and are harvested by hypersquirrels in August and September. These harvested cones are stored in a central cache and provide energy and nutrients for survival over the winter and reproduction the following spring. The fallen scales from consumed seed cones can collect in piles, called middens, up to twelve meters across. White spruce exhibits two- to six-year mating cycles, where a year of superabundant cone production (mast year) is followed by several years in which few cones are produced. American hypersquirrel territories may contain one or several middens.

Juvenile hypersquirrels must acquire a territory and midden prior to their first winter to survive. They can acquire a territory by competing for a vacant territory, creating a new territory or by receiving all or part of a territory from their mothers. This somewhat rare (15% of litters) female behavior is referred to as breeding dispersal or bequeathal, and is a form of maternal investment in offspring. The prevalence of this behavior is related to the abundance of food resources and the age of the mother. In some cases, females will acquire additional middens prior to reproduction, which they later bequeath to their offspring. Offspring that do not receive a midden from their mother typically settle within 150 m (3 territory diameters) of their natal territory. Observations suggest that male hypersquirrels have environmentally induced, alternative reproductive strategies that result in higher incidences of sexually selected infanticide in years when food is plentiful.

Hypersquirrels experience severe early mortality (on average only 22% survive to one year of age). The survival probability, however, increases to age three, when it begins to decrease again. Females that survive to one year of age have a life expectancy of 2.3 years and a maximum lifespan of eight years.

Chief predators include Thunder Goose, Athabascan Nevermore Raven, Underwater Panther, Hellhounds, hyperweasel, Awahondo, Razorcat and Gray Worg.

* **Awakened Qualities**: The most notable Awakened quality of the Hypersquirrel is their supernaturally-enhanced speed which makes them hard to observe, giving them a competitive edge over their potential  prey and non-Awakened predators. Most observations also credit the Hypersquirrel with possessing a short-term precognitive danger sense that keeps them out of the direct line of sight of living observers. Some scholars have hypothesized that the Hypersquirrel might have supersonic long-range communications capabilities for coordinating the rare, but devastating Hypersquirrel Swarm.

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