Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: Squirrel Nuts
Nov 18, 2020
Squirrels have a fascinating and complex approach to hiding nuts. In urban Atlanta, they thrive and exhibit quirky habits that entertain locals. Their winter preparations involve clever techniques like scatter hoarding and deception to outsmart rivals. Research highlights how eastern fox squirrels optimize nut storage based on size and calorie content. Surprisingly, their remarkable memory plays a crucial role in retrieving buried treasures, impacting both their survival and the growth of new trees. Plus, there's a humorous take on why humans don’t munch on acorns!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Squirrel Differences
- Tree squirrels, unlike ground squirrels, don't hibernate.
- They must find food year-round, leading to food storage for winter.
Squirrel Diet and Landing
- Squirrels primarily consume "mast," such as acorns and nuts.
- They also eat baby birds and land in a superhero-like pose.
Caching Behavior
- Squirrels bury food due to limited space in nests.
- This caching behavior involves storing food around their tree, sometimes up to seven acres away.