Why Do Squirrels Run Back and Forth When a Car Is Coming?
Squirrels are capable of more complex thinking than many people give them credit for. They sort nuts by taste, type, and size before burying them and show problem-solving abilities when it comes to figuring out how to get food from bird feeders. Why, then, do they react to a car on the road in a way that seems so counterintuitive? Scientists aren't exactly sure why squirrels run back and forth in front of moving cars. However, they have formulated a theory based on observation of the behaviour of wild squirrels that it is an instinctual maneuver to protect them from predators. In the wild, squirrels are used to predators such as hawks that spot them from above and swoop down out of the sky to grab them. Through centuries of evolution, they have learned to avoid hawks by running back and forth to confuse them. The technique may also have proven effective against other predators. A squirrel does not understand what a car is, but when it sees one barreling down the road toward it, instinct tells it that it might be a predator. Therefore, squirrels react the way they always do when they see a hawk or other potential threat; they run back and forth hoping to confuse it long enough to make their escape.