Researchers in California have observed California ground squirrels hunting and consuming voles, challenging the belief that these squirrels are primarily herbivorous. The study documented 74 interactions between ground squirrels and voles, with a 55% success rate. The researchers believe the emergence of hunting behavior was triggered by a surge in the local vole population. This finding suggests that California ground squirrels are more behaviorally flexible and opportunistically omnivorous than previously thought. The researchers plan to further study the impact of vole predation on squirrel reproduction.
image sourced from original article at https://www.jpost.com/science/science-around-the-world/article-834071
Original article source: https://www.jpost.com/science/science-around-the-world/article-834071
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