Smart, Sneaky Squirrels

A scientific study widely published in Europe purports to show that squirrels are a lot smarter than we thought. The creatures appear to attempt to fake out would-be thieves to prevent them from stealing the stash of nuts that gets a squirrel through winter.
Experts watched the squirrels pretend to bury food into pits in the ground, and cover them over with soil and leaves. The researchers said the squirrels put on a show of hiding non-existent nuts more often when they were being watched by the human observers. The animal experts say their research shows that squirrels understand what stealing is and take action to prevent it. That knowledge doesn't seem to stop the squirrels from swiping the food you intended for the birds, though!
Our wildlife rehab staff fields many calls about squirrel behavior throughout the year. One of the most common questions concerns the surprising behavior of baby squirrels. Find out more in our Wildlife FAQ's.