Road noise may give solace to squirrels

Roads are a killer problem for wildlife, not to mention the noise pollution from traffic. But new research reveals that gray squirrels may forage more near noisy roads as a strategy to avoid larger predators. In a study published recently in Oikos, researchers mapped out where gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) left behind more of their food in different parts of a standardized study area—an indicator of how afraid they were while foraging. They found that the squirrels may feel safer from predators in areas with more road noise. But the researchers also found that for squirrels, consistency is key—unpredictably noisy roads still left them scared. “Our findings suggest human activities have a double-edged impact on urban wildlife like the gray squirrel,” said Sasha Dall, an ecologist at the University of Exeter, in a press release. “Squirrels are having to adapt to these challenges by altering their foraging behavior and habitat use.”

Read more at the University of Exeter News.