LA Times
AUC 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. More
Well shit, I need about 100 ground squirrels. Voles are a pain in the ass.
This is what happens when the squirrels keep getting into those hidden drug stashes.
The boomers around here eat mice and moles all the time. They will even eat rabbit kits, and chipmunks if they can catch them.
I’ve hiked Briones mainly bird watching, I had no idea ground squirrels ate voles. The terrain at Briones is a haven for hawks to feed on both.
I realized my post may be confusing. A boomer is a red squirrel.
Dang. Reading too carelessly I thought the headline said that the squirrels were eating Volvos. I don’t like Volvos, plus most (but not all) Volvo owners seem to have the attention span a 9-year-old on Ritalin.
Holy shit Al, I thought they said vulvas.
Holy shit, Brad, did I miss the memo? Is there something wrong with eating vulvas? I may have a lifetime of atonement to do! 🙄🥭😁
I remember seeing a patch of squashed potguts on a rural highway just about doubling in size each time I passed it, over a series of three trips one summer. They apparently craved the taste of their own…and are not particularly aware or quick.
Some of those old Volvos are tough as cut nails. I think the world record is an 1800 with over 3 million miles.
@ACParker — I had to look that up. Never heard of a potgut before. Looking at their pictures made me realize that there are some rodents who are cute on the outside, but none are cute on the inside!
Greta Thugmire, also from the land of Volvos, is more accurately a Revulva.
@Erik — Quite right! My beef (or should I say “tofu”) with Volvos began maybe 30 years ago. I like those older sedans and wagons, especially the Diesel engine ones. Oh, yeah, and the P1800E was a lot of fun.
Al
Well now I did get throat cancer participating in that event. 50 years ago. Yea that shit embedded itself and a bad tooth will set it off. I constantly feel like I should do a Public Service Announcement for young boys. With slides. “See this kidees? Looks delicious doesn’t it? Careful , it’ll kill you.
Ouch. That’s a hard row to hoe.
Now, why was my first though reading your comment John Wayne growling, “Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do”?
That’s RIGHT, we’re eating threats to us. And we’re working up to taking down BIG ones.
Looking at YOU, Democrats.
Al, in the long run it might have saved my life. I know, strange. Another discussion.
That’s nothing new. When you shoot ground squirrels and prairie dogs the survivors eat the victims. It’s what they have always done. You see them jumping up and catching butterflies and eating them too. It’s what they do.
How much did the Government pay to discover what every boy that is worthy of the name in Montana already knows before the enter kindergarten.