New 'Shocking' Evidence Reveals Some of California's Squirrels Are Carnivorous, Study Finds
A photo of a squirrel hunting a vole via UC Davis.Photo:Sonja Wild/UC Davis Sonja Wild/UC Davis Squirrels in California aren’t as vegan as people may assume.A newstudyfrom U.C. Davis and UW-Eau Claire found that California ground squirrels not only eat nuts and fruit — but also hunt and eat voles, which are small mouse-like rodents.The study was conducted in 2024 at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, Calif., and found that the park’s ground squirrels exhibited carnivorous behaviors — particularly in the peak summer months — and hunted voles....