Study into 'Squirrel psychology' is just nuts
Researchers have spent months studying squirrel psychology in a bid to discover how they learn.But rather than getting the squirrels to lie back on a couch and talk about their mother, the team from the University of Exeter used a nut based test.
They tested the squirrels' ability to learn to choose between two pots of food after watching another squirrel remove a nut from one of the pots - by rewarding them if they picked the same one.
Most of the squirrels were able to learn which one to pick from, which the experts think means they are able to quickly learn from watching other, particularly if it relates to stealing food.
The study was then repeated, but instead of observing another squirrel, the animals were trained with the use of a card. In this test, the squirrels showed no significant difference in their ability to learn to choose the same or opposite pot.
Dr Lisa Leaver said: "Our study is significant because it is the first to show that grey squirrels learn from observing others.
"It adds to growing evidence that all kinds of animals, from humans and other primates to many species of birds, learn from observation and that they have evolved to learn quickly about those things that are most important to their lives – in the case of grey squirrels, gathering and storing nuts."
LINKS
University of Exeter
Dr Lisa Leaver said: "Our study is significant because it is the first to show that grey squirrels learn from observing others.
"It adds to growing evidence that all kinds of animals, from humans and other primates to many species of birds, learn from observation and that they have evolved to learn quickly about those things that are most important to their lives – in the case of grey squirrels, gathering and storing nuts."
LINKS
University of Exeter
