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Male squirrels are lazy and females do most of the work

This finding, which mirrors many human homes around the world, has come about after scientists fitted squirrels with fitness trackers (collar-mounted light loggers and triaxial accelerometers) and recorded the data. The analyis showed that males are lazy and females do almost all of the work. The research was undertaken by Professor Cory Williams of Northern Arizona University.

The focus of the research was to study the behavioral differences of male and female Arctic squirrels in Alaska. The Arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii) is often nicknamed ‘parka’, because because their pelt is good for the ruff on parkas and for clothing.

With the study 30 female and 18 male squirrels were studied. There were clear differences in activity: male squirrels spend more time above ground searching for food, whereas the females spend most time below ground caring for their offspring. However, when females are above ground they are more active compared with their male counterparts.

Here, according to Quartz, the authors amusingly write “It is not clear what [the males] are doing while above ground. The additional time spent above ground may be simply to loaf/bask in the sun.”

There’s a downside to this laziness, however. Because the male spends more time above ground than the female, males are more likely to be killed by predators than females.

The research findings have been published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The research paper is headed “The secret life of ground squirrels: accelerometry reveals sex-dependent plasticity in above-ground activity.”

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Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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