Scientists discovered that some California ground squirrels are carnivorous, hunting and eating rodents instead of their usual diet of nuts and seeds, according to new research published Oct. 18.
The study, led by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the University of California at Davis, is the first to chronicle widespread carnivorous behavior among squirrels.
“This was shocking,” lead author Jennifer Smith, an associate professor of biology at UW-Eau Claire, said in a statement Wednesday. “We had never seen this behavior before.”
Squirrels are one of the most familiar animals to people, and we have usually associated them with gathering nuts and seeds—not hunting for meat. Their usual vegetarian diet is typically made up mainly of acorns, seeds, nuts, and fruits….