California squirrel with a vole in its mouth — A California ground squirrel in Contra Costa County runs with a vole it hunted in its mouth. A study from UC Davis and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is the first to document widespread carnivorous feeding of voles by squirrels. (Sonja Wild, UC Davis)

Post Doctoral Fellow, Sonja Wild's, Research on Carnivorous Squirrel Behavior Featured on CBS News

by Linette Velasco
December 30, 2024

In a joint study between UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, published in the Journal of Ethology, Sonja Wild's research observed never-before-seen behavior from California Ground Squirrels. Previously, it was believed that these squirrels were granivorous, but the research found them hunting and feeding on voles, a type of small rodent. Sonja posted a video on YouTube showing a squirrel hunting a vole here.

Read the Study:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10164-024-00832-6

Read the News Feature:

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/carnivorous-squirrels-uc-davis-study-contra-costa-county/