Squirrels love almonds, and will work harder to get them

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Squirrels love almonds, and will work harder to get them

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Nature generally doesn’t reward picky eaters. All animals except humans generally opt for an easier meal nearby instead of a tastier snack that requires extra effort to reach. It’s understandable: When survival is at stake, preferred foods take a back seat to more closely related (even if less desirable) calories.

That said, new research indicates that at least one species is willing to do extra work if it means getting the chance to eat its favorite meal. In a study published today in the journal Animal behaviorresearchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom explain that wild gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) often ignore the food in front of them and climb higher to reach their preferred alternative.

“This suggests that, in natural decision-making scenarios, it can sometimes be beneficial for animals to wait or work harder to achieve a better outcome,” explained study co-author and behaviorist Yavanna Burnham.

Along with his colleagues, Burnham proposed a simple task to 11 gray squirrels. They could either climb to a lower height on a pole to receive a less favored food item (pumpkin seeds), or continue higher to grab their long-time favorite almond pieces. During the more than 4,000 decision tests recorded by the team, the arboreal rodents largely reached a higher scale for their favorite treat. Additionally, less dominant squirrels were more likely to play it safe. The reason isn’t entirely clear yet, but researchers hypothesize that it could be a way to avoid losing food to a rival and wasting energy.

“This shows that there is not always an ‘optimal’ decision and, just as with humans, an animal’s social status affects the costs and benefits of particular choices,” said study co-author and behaviorist Lisa Leaver. This is a clear example of squirrels evaluating and adjusting their plans to maximize a reward, according to Leaver.

“This suggests that, in natural decision-making scenarios, it can sometimes be beneficial for animals to wait or work harder to achieve better outcomes,” Burnham said. “This is what we would expect and shows the value of conducting research on wildlife populations.”