Quasi-man-eating ground squirrels reportedly live in California—surprised?

The state's squirrels have been spotted hunting and decapitating voles (another member of the rodent family). The study's leaders cited human-caused “climate change” while praising the flexibility of this adaptive diet.

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Posted by Leslie Eastman

Recent biological research reveals alarming changes in the eating habits of California ground squirrels.

Ground squirrels, which traditionally eat fruit and nuts, have now been found actively hunting and eating voles, another member of the rodent family. This is a previously undocumented behavior for this species.

The findings are part of a long-term study conducted at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, California, as part of the California Ground Squirrel Long-Term Behavioral Ecology Project.

Once, scientists were horrified to see a squirrel holding its prey in its mouth and shaking it “vigorously.”

The observations suggest that these nut-eating creatures are evolving into carnivorous predators.

“This is shocking,” said Dr. Jennifer E. Smith, associate professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, who led the study.

“We have never seen this behavior before. Squirrels are one of the most familiar animals.

Researchers documented California's killer carnivorous squirrels hunting and eating voles:

(WARNING: GRAPHICS) pic.twitter.com/RbdfHaUHyW

— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) December 19, 2024

according to Los Angeles TimesThe research team was impressed by the squirrel's killing spree.

Dan Blumstein, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA, said researchers released a video showing a ground squirrel grabbing a vole by the neck and shaking it, an obvious sign of predation. Behavior designed to kill prey quickly. For squirrels, he said, most biological dietary factors, such as teeth and stomachs, favor plants such as nuts and seeds rather than meat.

Before reading the details of the study, Blumstein thought this carnivorous behavior might only occur in female squirrels, who are desperate for the nutrients they need to feed their young. But according to the study, the behavior occurs in both male and female squirrels of all ages. They exhibit other behaviors typically associated with predators: When one squirrel successfully pursues prey, another squirrel will sometimes try to steal it.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Sonja Wild, a UC Davis postdoctoral researcher who co-led the project with Smith, said in a press release. “Since then, we've been seeing this behavior almost every day. Once we started looking, we found it everywhere.

Of course, UC Davis research “experts” were quick to link this behavior to…human-induced environmental changes.

Using film, photos, and direct observations in regional parks, the authors documented California ground squirrels of all ages and sex hunting, eating, and competing for vole prey from June 10 to July 30.

Squirrels' summer carnivorous behavior peaks in the first two weeks of July, coinciding with a spike in vole populations in the park reported by iNaturalist citizen scientists. This shows that squirrel hunting behavior occurs in response to a temporary increase in prey abundance, the study said. Scientists have not observed squirrels preying on other mammals.

“The fact that California ground squirrels are behaviorally flexible and able to respond to changes in food availability may help them survive in environments that are rapidly changing due to the presence of humans,” Wilder said.

Study leaders cited human-caused “climate change” while praising the flexibility of this adaptive diet.

“These animals are resilient in the face of human intrusions such as climate change and drought and have the potential to adapt to living in a changing world,” Smith added.

For example, if acorns or seeds are in short supply, squirrels appear ready to seek out other sources of protein and nutrients. The less stubborn an animal is about its diet, the better suited it is to survive. Although the squirrels don't appear to be acting out of a lack of any other food sources in this case, vole blooms appear to be the reason for their hunting, according to SFGATE.

Frankly, I can only draw one conclusion from the data provided:

Avoid California, where even our squirrels are vicious killers. Our animal welfare agencies are afraid to take on them. pic.twitter.com/AnVbgXhrdC

— Leslie Eastman ☥ (@Mutnodjmet) December 21, 2024