Squirrels, wearing the skins of their enemies.

by JGordon on Dec. 28th, 2007
2

A cute little squirrel: Oh, my God, is that blood on its mouth?
A cute little squirrel: Oh, my God, is that blood on its mouth?
Courtesy prairiedog
In the age-old, squirrel/rattlesnake battle of wits, another play has been made by the squirrels, one so devious that I dread the day that the tree rats use it against humanity.

Members of the same lab that discovered that squirrels are able to heat their tails (see the link above) have recently observed ground squirrels and rock squirrels chewing up discarded rattle snake skins, and then smearing it on their fur to mask their own squirrelly scent.

Juvenile squirrels and females appear to use the technique most often, being more vulnerable to snake attacks than adult males (or bull squirrels, as I call them - creatures that are not to be taken lightly).

The discovery just goes to show, once again, that squirrels are among the most resourceful, and fastest-adapting creatures. Hot tails today, tomorrow… guns? Still, I think squirrel guns are the least of our worries right now – as I said before, what if they turn this technique against us, their human overlords? What if they began chewing off our skin and turning it into disguises? We wouldn’t know who to trust! The hunter would become the hunted! It would be like that scene in Predator, where Arnold covered himself in mud to hide himself from the Predator’s heat vision.

This is really horrible news.

I need to go lie down.

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Your Comments, Thoughts, Questions, Ideas

Great story!

posted on Fri, 12/28/2007 - 9:56am
Ben says:

You posted that picture of a squirrel holding a gun just for me didn't you. I feel so loved and so frighted and the same time. Now I really will need a bullet proof vest to go squirrel hunting... :)

posted on Fri, 12/28/2007 - 9:56am

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