Published Wednesday in the Journal of Ethology, a study from California is the first to document widespread carnivorous behavior among these seemingly innocent creatures.
Squirrels may look like adorable balls of fur that love nuts, but they can also be ruthless predators that hunt and devour voles, a study suggests. Published Wednesday in the Journal of Ethology, this study from California is the first to document widespread carnivorous behavior among these seemingly innocent creatures.
“It was shocking”says lead author Jennifer E. Smith, professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire. “Squirrels are one of the most familiar animals to humans. We see them right under our windows and interact with them regularly”she emphasizes.
Yet, “we have never observed this behavior”which shows “that there is so much more to learn about the natural history of the world around us”. The observations were made this summer, during the 12th year of a long-term study at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, western California.
Initial skepticism
Between June and July, researchers recorded 74 interactions between California Ground Squirrels – a species of squirrel – and voles, 42% of which involved active hunting.
Co-author of the study, Sonja Wild, a researcher at the University of California, was initially skeptical of the observations of undergraduate students, the first witnesses of this behavior. “I couldn’t believe my eyes”she remembers. But “once we started looking, we observed it everywhere”.
It was already known that around thirty species of squirrels consumed meat, particularly from birds. But it was unclear whether this was related to accidentally coming across dead animal remains or some form of active predation.
When squirrels hunt
This new study is the first to show that hunting is indeed a widespread behavior among squirrels. Researchers have observed squirrels ambush their prey, even though they most often just chase them before pouncing and biting their necks.
The study, however, leaves several questions unanswered. In particular, the authors hope to discover how widespread hunting is a behavior among squirrel species, whether it is transmitted from parents to young, and how it affects their ecosystems.
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