Squirrel Memory test? MUST SEE!!!!!

This entry for NewScientist proves that squirrels don't smell nuts. A squirrel's memory is phenomenal. If you try this experiment at home it is important to distinguish between different squirrels. In this experiment there were three of them. All three squirrels exhibited the same memory traits: They always returned to the same position. Collectively they made over 300 separate trips and seemed to work as a team to systematically clear the hoard of nuts. Here is a link to NewScientist's Channel on Youtube, I highly recommend their channel:

http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=ne...

I would love to be able to delve deeper into animal science at dawn/dusk but my camcorder is limited to bright sunny days, I don't expect to win the competition so I'll keep saving for a better quality video camera.

Burrying nuts, never more than one or two per cache, leaves the squirrel with food stashed in thousands of different sites. The squirrel therefore ensures it will not loose everything in a single theft, but it must pay the price by having to remember where all those nuts were cached.

• Category

  Pets & Animals

[templarman7]

Cute video! Though my squirrels don't seem to be as intelligent as yours. So I'm just curious, when you moved the nuts, did you get a new cup to become the red cup? If not your results might be tainted as the red cup or the surface would still have the scent of food. I do like your experiment but the squirrels around me don't seem to remember where they buried anything and they go sniffing the dirt and sometimes they find something and sometimes I get peanut plants and pumpkins.

[DickGhostmoon]

It would be interesting to see what results you get. Yep they always seem to go back to the same position.

[Stephanie Heather]

My two year old son's favorite animals are squirrels - so that is how my husband found your videos. Thank you! They are wonderful - he is delighted each time he watches them and is soaking in a lot of interesting information at the same time.

[DickGhostmoon]

Well thank you. 

[Ladeand]

Interesting. By the way, did you confirm that it was the same squirrel coming back?

[DickGhostmoon]

yes there were 3 squirrels, all of them fat by the time I had finished the experiment.

[lostindreams3]

The other day I heard a knocking sound. I went to the front door & opened the door. No one was there. I looked down & a squirrel tried to enter just like a person. I quick closed the door. The squirrel put her hands on the glass door & looked inside. I got a few almonds, walnuts, & tiny oatmeal raisin cookies from Trader Joes & tossed them outside. She sat there holding the cookie like a person. Now every day at 9 a.m. squirrel sits by the door & peers in like a kid with hands above head.

[TrainerCharizard]

I know you are.

[1FourYeshua]

Cool!

[Kevin Christensen]

just give the squirrel the nuts, people always gotta experiment and mess with animals sheesh. im all about easy living, humans and everything else!

[VipericVampire]

Filthy rat.

[CelebrianoLorien]

They remind me of my pet rats ^^

[split616]

SO CUTE

[Servet ŞİRİN]

they can still smell the nuts.