Human disturbance has a significant impact on the behaviour and habitat use of urban wildlife, however, in some situations urban grey squirrels may actually feel safer from predators where our activity is high.
Human disturbance has a significant impact on the behaviour and habitat use of urban wildlife, however, in some situations urban grey squirrels may actually feel safer from predators where our activity is high.
A new study from the University of Exeter, published in Oikos, reveals the paradoxical ways grey squirrels balance risk and foraging in urban environments. Researchers measured how much food squirrels left behind in standardised food patches in different places, which reflects how dangerous they perceived their local surroundings to be. They found that squirrels felt safer from predators near roads when noise levels were consistently loud.
However, squirrels also perceived foraging as more dangerous where noise was less consistent. The findings highlight the complex trade-offs squirrels face in urban environments when balancing the risks and benefits associated with living alongside humans.
Read More: University of Exeter
Photo Credit: Ray_Shrewsberry via Pixabay
