Stuff To Blow Your Mind From the Vault: More Squirrels Eating Meat
Dec 20, 2025
Squirrels may seem cute, but did you know some are carnivorous? The hosts explore the surprising findings of a study on California ground squirrels that hunt voles, showcasing their hunting tactics and impressive success rates. They discuss the intriguing 'ecology of fear' and how environmental factors drive these predators' behaviors. Urban aggression in squirrels and the dangers of human feeding also come into play, warning listeners about the risks of feeding wildlife. It's a wild ride into the unexpected world of these furry foragers!
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Squirrels As Behaviorally Flexible Foragers
- The paper frames squirrel carnivory as behavioral flexibility, not fixed instinct.
- This reframes squirrels as adaptable mammals responding to environmental change.
Video-Proven Hunting By Ground Squirrels
- The new Journal of Ethology study documents repeated, filmed hunting of adult voles by California ground squirrels.
- This shifts evidence from isolated reports to systematic predation observations.
Predation Tactics Resemble Classic Carnivores
- Squirrels used chase-and-pounce tactics, holding prey with paws and biting often at the neck.
- They removed vole heads first and sometimes carried kills away before eating.