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Quick Take
California ground squirrels exhibit predatory hunting behavior against voles and other creatures at Briones Regional Park in California.
A study conducted over two months in 2024 documented multiple encounters between California ground squirrels and voles, with 42% of those encounters resulting in the voles’ deaths.
California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park have turned into opportunistic omnivores.
California ground squirrels had not been scientifically observed or reported as predatory hunters before 2024.
In a social media landscape where AI images and videos are becoming the norm, it can be difficult to decipher what is real and what is not. Videos that feature wild animals are of particular concern, as they have been shown to create “false expectations about local wildlife” and can even have negative effects on conservation efforts.
That said, there is still much to learn about wild animals. Just when a species seems to be figured out, Mother Nature throws a curveball and stops everyone in their tracks. This was the case when California ground squirrels were caught on camera hunting, which left both researchers and the public in shock.
California Ground Squirrels Are “Eating Animals in Broad Daylight”
California ground squirrels are unique among their species. Unlike other ground squirrels across the nation, they are exhibiting feeding behaviors never before observed. For example, a video posted on X shows a California ground squirrel casually eating a reptile. The video, appropriately titled “California squirrels are eating animals in broad daylight,” is not an exaggeration. This is truly happening in the Golden State.
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Ethology demonstrated that California ground squirrels are opportunistic omnivores, capable of both herbivorous and carnivorous behavior. Ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park in Northern California were observed eating voles. While it is not uncommon for ground squirrels to consume eggs or scavenge dead animals in extreme situations, what was surprising to scientists was that the ground squirrels were actively hunting voles. Between June and July 2024, there were 74 observed instances in which a California ground squirrel came in contact with a vole. Of those encounters, 42% involved the ground squirrels hunting the voles.
California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park in Northern California are hunting animals.
© – Original
“This was shocking,” Jennifer E. Smith, an associate professor of biology at UW-Eau Claire and lead author of the study, explains to UC Davis News. “We had never seen this behavior before. Squirrels are one of the most familiar animals to people. We see them right outside our windows; we interact with them regularly. Yet here’s this never-before-encountered-in-science behavior that sheds light on the fact that there’s so much more to learn about the natural history of the world around us.”
Postdoctoral research fellow in the UC Davis Environmental Science and Policy department, Sonja Wild, who works on the long-term ground squirrels project with Smith, was in disbelief when footage, similar to this video on YouTube, of the California ground squirrels was first presented to her.
“I could barely believe my eyes,” Wild states. “From then on, we saw that behavior almost every day. Once we started looking, we saw it everywhere.”
Given the common belief that squirrels are not predators, this study and the videos emerging from Briones Regional Park have surprised the scientific community. California ground squirrels are now recognized as opportunistic omnivores, rather than strictly herbivores as previously believed.
California Ground Squirrels Are Opportunistic Omnivores
Opportunistic omnivores are creatures with varied, flexible diets that allow them to eat anything from plants to animals, and in some cases, fungi. Animals most often associated with this behavior include bears, raccoons, and even rats.
While it may seem surprising to some that California ground squirrels also engage in this behavior, they, too, are rodents. Therefore, it is not out of the realm of possibility for them to become opportunistic omnivores themselves. By engaging in this behavior, ground squirrels maximize their chances of survival. The less picky they are about their diet, the more options they have when certain food sources become scarce.
California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park have turned into opportunistic omnivores.
©Iv-olga/Shutterstock.com
(Iv-olga/Shutterstock.com)
What is notable about opportunistic omnivores is that they tend to live in habitats that are consistently changing. These animals are forced to eat a variety of foods to survive. Regional parks tend to be controlled environments in comparison. Yet, the California ground squirrels changed their behavior. So, what was the catalyst for this change?
The carnivorous activity was not observed until there was a massive increase in voles at Briones Regional Park. This proved to be the change in environment the California ground squirrels experienced. However, it is still unknown whether this sparked the omnivorous behavior or whether it was already present on a smaller scale. Consequently, this is an area of ongoing research, as there are more questions than answers.
What Is the Preferred Diet of California Ground Squirrels?
It was once believed that California ground squirrels would not hurt a fly. Now, not only are they eating that fly, but they are also eating voles, reptiles, and other insects, expanding their diet exponentially. Does this mean that California ground squirrels prefer to eat these creatures over a more herbivore-based diet? As things stand, scientists do not know.
In the past, California ground squirrels were thought to eat only seeds, nuts, fruit, and other items typical of an herbivore diet.
©Iv-olga/Shutterstock.com
(Iv-olga/Shutterstock.com)
In the past, the preferred diet for California ground squirrels included:
At no time were they ever seen as a threat to other animals. However, with an extensive study and subsequent videos from Briones Regional Park showing living animals not only being eaten but also targeted, it is not clear if their tastes have changed.
Based on what has been learned about the ground squirrels to date, if there is an opportunity to satiate their hunger, they will find any means possible to do so. Therefore, when nuts, seeds, and grains become scarce, all other small animals in Briones Regional Park may be at risk. There is a target on their backs, and ground squirrels will not hesitate to make them dinner.
Are California Ground Squirrels the Only Squirrel Predators, or Do More Exist?
The central question that scientists were left with after their California ground squirrel study concluded was whether the observed phenomenon was occurring only at Briones Regional Park. Were other California ground squirrels participating in consuming live animals? For that matter, were ground squirrels in any other state showing signs of being opportunistic omnivores?
Since the study was published, no additional locations in California or other states have been reported in the scientific literature as having California ground squirrels actively hunting live prey. Currently, this behavior has only been documented at Briones Regional Park.
It is unknown whether other California ground squirrels actively hunt outside of Briones Regional Park.
©sarah_xie7/Shutterstock.com
(sarah_xie7/Shutterstock.com)
As the study reported, ground squirrels specifically targeted voles. At the regional park and other locations across California, there was a massive increase in the vole population. According to scientists, the increase in voles made them easy prey, which is why ground squirrels selected them for sustenance over other food sources.
The video uploaded to X, however, shows that California ground squirrels eat other live prey other than just voles. Therefore, it is believed that California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park have adapted over time to consume available food sources. It is unclear whether this behavior occurred before 2024, when ground squirrels were observed actively hunting voles, or whether that was their first instance of predatory behavior. What is clear is that the predatory behavior at the regional park is ongoing, and predatory California ground squirrels in Northern California are here to stay.
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