protect their young and share burrows with them. Therefore scientists suggested that female squirrels and young squirrels chew on snakeskin and spread its scent on their bodies as protection from snakes. A snake might be less likely to attack a squirrel that smells like another snake. One scientist, Barbara Clucas, decided to test these theories by observing a group of squirrels at a nature preserve. To tell the squirrels apart, she marked each one with a number by using black hair dye. Clucas noted the ages of the squirrels and whether they were male or female. Next she released the squirrels and set out pieces of shed rattlesnake skin. Then she hid and filmed the results. She timed how long each squirrel stayed to chew up the snakeskin. Then she watched as the squirrel rubbed a mixture of saliva and snakeskin on itself. Clucas found that female squirrels and young squirrels took the most time performing these activities. Her observations support the idea that the squirrels have been using the snakeskin for protection against rattlesnakes. Clucas believes that the scent of the snakeskin works as a disguise. Snakes typically have a strong sense of smell. So if a hungry snake detects the smell of a rattlesnake in a burrow, the snake will leave that burrow alone— even if that “snake” is really a sneaky squirrel!
protect their young and share burrows with them. Therefore scientists suggested that female squirrels and young squirrels chew on snakeskin and spread its scent on their bodies as protection from snakes. A snake might be less likely to attack a squirrel that smells like another snake. One scientist, Barbara Clucas, decided to test these theories by observing a group of squirrels at a nature preserve. To tell the squirrels apart, she marked each one with a number by using black hair dye. Clucas noted the ages of the squirrels and whether they were male or female. Next she released the squirrels and set out pieces of shed rattlesnake skin. Then she hid and filmed the results. She timed how long each squirrel stayed to chew up the snakeskin. Then she watched as the squirrel rubbed a mixture of saliva and snakeskin on itself. Clucas found that female squirrels and young squirrels took the most time performing these activities. Her observations support the idea that the squirrels have been using the snakeskin for protection against rattlesnakes. Clucas believes that the scent of the snakeskin works as a disguise. Snakes typically have a strong sense of smell. So if a hungry snake detects the smell of a rattlesnake in a burrow, the snake will leave that burrow alone— even if that “snake” is really a sneaky squirrel!