New Lit Alert: Comfortably Numb? Regional Differences in the Relationship Between Indices of Urbanization and a Stress Indicator in Eastern Gray Squirrels

Comfortably Numb? Regional Differences in the Relationship Between Indices of Urbanization and a Stress Indicator in Eastern Gray Squirrels Rebecca Rimbach, Alannah Grant, Pratik R. Gupte, Amy Newman, Mason R. Stothart, and Herman Pontzer Abstract Wild animals face novel environmental challenges as natural habitats give way to urban areas, with numerous biotic and abiotic differences... Continue Reading →

September 23, 2022 0

Eastern Gray Squirrel Behavior in Urban Environments

Urbanization can significantly alter environments in ways that impact abundance and behavior of urban animals. Fewer natural predators and greater food availability - as well as increased contact with humans - may lead to altered stress responses, increased boldness, and decreased vigilance compared to non-urban populations. The eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) has been very... Continue Reading →

April 7, 2020 0

Natural Selection Favors Black Morph of Eastern Gray Squirrel in Cities

Eastern Gray Squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis, are some of the most visible and well-known urban animals in the Northeastern United States. Prior to European settlement of the region, the black morph of S. carolinensis ("melanistic") was much more abundant. Scientists have hypothesized that the dark pelt was advantageous in the old growth forests that used to cover the region.... Continue Reading →

December 18, 2019 2

How to Catch Squirrels in Cities

Cartoon image of a gray squirrel, in a yellow circle, surrounded by the words "How to Catch Squirrels In The City"

Urban fieldwork is its own beast. Sure, compared to remote sites you might have regular access to bathrooms and food but there are different situations to be aware of or capitalize on when handling animals in the public eye.

December 3, 2019 4

Urban Observation of the Week: Campus Squirrel

Last year I saw this tweet that so deeply resonated with me: https://twitter.com/rodger/status/1075094981193265154?lang=en Squirrels are abundant across my own campus in New York City and I have heard numerous students remark that our squirrels are somehow better/different than the squirrels in the rest of the city. We've even had our fair share of squirrels in... Continue Reading →

October 16, 2019 0

What Do FID Studies Really Tell Us About Boldness?

A common behavioral trend observed in urban animals is that they tend to be bolder compared to their rural counterparts. This behavioral shift can enable urban animals to deal with the unique stressors of urban life and may set the stage for urban adaptation. A common way to quantify boldness is to measure flight-initiation distance, or... Continue Reading →

September 10, 2019 0

Urban Observation of the Week: Eggroll Squirrel

This week's observation is New York City's newest mascot, egg roll squirrel. Pizza rat is so last week. NYC strikes again with wildlife enjoying anthropogenic food. And if you can't get enough squirrels check out our previous posts on squirrel behavior here and here. Do you have a photo or video of an urban... Continue Reading →

January 23, 2019 1

Why Did the Squirrel Cross the Road?

In cities the number and types of predators drastically differ from nearby rural and "natural" areas. This often means that the biggest threat prey species have to face in cities are domestic predators (dogs and cats) or generalist "mesopredators" like raccoons, coyotes, or foxes. That is, unless you consider the threat from humans, and in... Continue Reading →

October 26, 2018 4

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