It has been confirmed for the first time that squirrels are hunting and eating mice.
By Sonja Wild
When you hear the word 'squirrel,' many people may imagine a cute squirrel stuffing its mouth full of nuts and seeds, but it is also known that wild squirrels sometimes eat insects and fish carcasses. A new study observing squirrels living in California, USA, has confirmed for the first time that they hunt and eat field mice.
Vole hunting: novel predatory and carnivorous behavior by California ground squirrels | Journal of Ethology
California Squirrels Have Developed a Taste For Meat in Surprise Discovery : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/california-squirrels-have-developed-a-taste-for-meat-in-surprise-discovery
California squirrels show carnivorous behavior for the first time, scientists say | CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/18/science/california-squirrels-carnivorous-eating-voles/index.html
Wild squirrels are not necessarily herbivores, and up to 30 species of squirrels have been confirmed to eat small fish, birds, and other meat. However, it was unclear whether these carnivorous species simply ate the carcasses of animals they happened to come across, or whether they actively hunted animals.
A research team led by Jennifer Smith , an associate professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin , USA, has been conducting long-term observations since 2013 at Briones Regional Park, a natural park in Contra Costa County , California. As part of this, they observed interactions between California ground squirrels and California voles from June 10 to July 30, 2024.
During the study, 74 hunting or feeding events of California ground squirrels and California voles were observed, of which 42% were associated with 'active hunting of mice by squirrels.' This is the first study to confirm that mouse hunting by squirrels is common.
The graph below shows the number of hunting or feeding events of California ground squirrels and California voles in black, the number of consumption events in light blue, and the number of hunting events in orange. We can see that predation of mice by squirrels increased especially in the first half of July. Of the 51 cases where individual squirrels were identified, 27 different squirrels were involved, and it was confirmed that not only a specific squirrel but multiple squirrels were hunting and feeding on mice.
Study co-author
The photo below shows a California ground squirrel capturing a California vole.
By Sonja Wild
The research team observed California ground squirrels crouching low to ambush California voles, chasing them to catch them, pouncing on them, and biting their necks.
Hunting of California voles by California ground squirrels peaked during the first two weeks of July, coinciding with a surge in mouse populations reported by citizen scientists, suggesting that the squirrels are adapting their hunting strategies to accommodate increasing mouse populations.
'We already knew that California ground squirrels live at a variety of elevations and can eat a variety of plants, but what's most impressive and surprising is the speed with which the squirrels have adapted to the rapid increase in mice and rats,' Smith said. 'Wildlife continues to amaze us.'
By Sonja Wild
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