The gray squirrel might be a common backyard animal, but did you know that it also helps plant trees? The rodent's food-storing behavior can leave acorns buried in the ground, where some may sprout into new oak trees.
Here's how gray squirrels and their scatter-hoarding behavior contribute to a healthy environment.
Scatter-hoarding refers to the behavior of hiding food in multiple locations, or caches, throughout a squirrel's territory. This strategy helps keep their food safe from other animals and ensures they have supplies when food becomes scarce. For example, gray squirrels bury thousands of acorns, nuts, and seeds, especially during autumn, and retrieve them throughout the winter.
According to research by the University of Richmond, though gray squirrels might eat the majority of their buried acorns, they don't recover all of them. Thus, the unrecovered acorns can contribute to the regeneration and dispersal of oak trees.
"Gray squirrels protect themselves from thieves by burying very many acorns, as many as 3,000 scattered all over their home territory in autumn," says Johan Siggesson, a wildlife photographer.
Gray squirrels are sometimes misunderstood as chaotic animals, but they are actually highly intelligent creatures. Squirrels can use spatial memory to recall where they have buried nuts and engage in problem-solving behavior. Even with this ability, some acorns are left behind. Those that survive and sprout may become new oak trees, helping renew the forest.