Squirrels becoming predators

Whats going on is this evolution, Lack of natural food or have they caught some kind of virus this is nuts no pun intended ........

"California squirrels are now apparently hunting and eating other rodents"

A UC Davis study showed a nutty novel behavior in California squirrels: They’re hunting like carnivores, taking down and then consuming other, smaller rodents.

As part of an ongoing 12-year study of California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, researchers last summer watched as squirrels began to chase — and eat — voles, a cousin of field mice.

This suggests squirrels are much more opportunistic in their diets than previously realized, wrote the authors of the study, published Wednesday in the Journal of Ethology. Squirrels typically eat acorns, seeds, nuts and fruit, but are known to occasionally eat fresh carrion or roadkill, insects, eggs or other discarded food. Some squirrels at California’s college campuses have become infamous among students for their demanding behavior, even winning student elections, but they’ve never been seen hunting smaller rodents on such a widespread scale.

If they are hunting and eating rodents they will start to hunt birds or even each other , What would cause them to go carnivore Imagin a pack of Squirrels hunting down the cats that hunt them !



link

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Maybe they joined a gang?

They are training to avenge their fallen brother, Peanut.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

One of our chickens killed and ate a mouse. Swallowed it whole.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Ravenwatcher

One of our chickens killed and ate a mouse. Swallowed it whole.

Don't chickens always kill and eat rodents' big reason there's never a rat problem in the coop

a reply to: Ravenwatcher


Oh yeah, that freaked me out when I was stationed in CA.

I saw a ground squirrel eating another dead squirrel on the side of the road.

Another time I saw a squirrel running off with a baby rabbit while being chased by 2 or 3 other rabbits.

Zombie Cannibal Squirrel Apocalypse

It's rough out there.



This image doesn't show up in my thread anymore, weird.

researchers last summer watched as squirrels began to chase — and eat — voles, a cousin of field mice.

Who doesn’t eat voles? Voles and rabbits are the fast food of the food chain. 😁

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Well, we always have rats in our chicken run. Bit too big for our hens.

Our cats, however......

a reply to: Lazy88

Hmmmmmm... fried Otters noses, anyone?

Squirrels are just rats with fluffy tails.
Especially the eastern type.
We see them raiding bird nests and killing the Douglas and Chipmunks
all the time. I am in my 60s and I have seen this since I was a child, nothing new going on here.
a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Lack of Natural Food it happens here at times
Especially when we have Very Dry Weather.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

a reply to: Ravenwatcher
Squirrels are rodents and rodents have always been omnivores. Think mice and rats. They will eat anything. This study is nothing new. It's just new to them. Next time you are eating a hamburger in the park, throw a little meat patty out to a squirrel. He won't pass it up.

originally posted by: charlest2
a reply to: Ravenwatcher
Squirrels are rodents and rodents have always been omnivores. Think mice and rats. They will eat anything. This study is nothing new. It's just new to them. Next time you are eating a hamburger in the park, throw a little meat patty out to a squirrel. He won't pass it up.

Yeah I've seen them carrying a slice of Pizza up a tree It's the part of them actually hunting live prey that's strange .

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Seriously? Deer eat field mice for their antlers. It is not nothing new its just erroneous assumptions made be people. Some nutrients cannot be acquired by an herbivore diet.

originally posted by: hangedman13
Seriously? Deer eat field mice for their antlers. It is not nothing new its just erroneous assumptions made be people. Some nutrients cannot be acquired by an herbivore diet.

How does a deer chase down a field mouse lol

a reply to: HeyYouNotYouYou

That's it ! I've been calling them cute rats for years now.

They are the ones that rip-up all of the plastic garbage bags, and pull food out, including proteins.

They are a terrible pest.

They chew cables on cars, destroy gardens, and dig-up every house-plant we put outside.

Understandable how folks seek to send them away.

Well, the squirrel that managed to get into my kitchen via the cavity wall loves bananas!!!! It also tried getting into my fridge by clawing away at the drainage hole which is now a big cavity!
Landlord is on it. Joys of living in the countryside.

Rainbows
Jane

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

That is not a squirrel, it is a cat in a squirrel suit.

I saw a video of a cow eating ducklings.

a reply to: KnowItAllKnowNothin

Give it a few days. Word will get around and he will have a line of squirrels wanting a ride.