Are floor squirrels strictly granivorous?

A floor squirrel with cheeks full of nuts, seeds or grains, is a standard sight. However a brand new examine gives the primary proof that California floor squirrels additionally hunt, kill and eat voles. Researchers have for the primary time chronicled widespread carnivorous behaviour amongst squirrels. The examine basically adjustments our understanding of floor squirrels. It means that what was thought of a granivorous species truly is an opportunistic omnivore and extra versatile in its weight loss plan than was assumed. By means of movies, images and direct observations on the regional park, the researchers documented California floor squirrels of all ages and genders searching, consuming and competing over vole prey between June 10 and July 30 this 12 months. The squirrels’ carnivorous summer season behaviour peaked throughout the first two weeks of July, coinciding with an explosion of vole numbers on the park reported by citizen scientists on iNaturalist. This means the squirrels’ searching behaviour emerged alongside a short lived improve within the availability of prey, the examine mentioned. The scientists didn’t observe the squirrels searching different mammals. There are numerous questions that stay unanswered, together with how widespread searching behaviour is amongst squirrels, whether or not and the way it’s handed down from guardian to pup, and the way it results ecological processes.