Bloodthirsty California squirrels go nuts for vole meat, new study shows

Squirrels might look like adorable, nut-hoarding furballs but some are ruthless predators that hunt, tear apart and devour voles.

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WASHINGTON - Squirrels might look like adorable, nut-hoarding furballs but some are ruthless predators that hunt, tear apart and devour voles.

That is the startling finding of a new study published on Dec 18 in the Journal of Ethology - the first to document widespread carnivorous behaviour in these seemingly innocent creatures.

"There is always something new to learn, and wild animals continue to surprise us," lead author Jennifer E. Smith, an associate professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, told AFP.

"In a changing world with many technological advances, there is no replacement for direct observation of natural history, including watching the squirrels and birds that often visit our backyards."