The grey squirrel a tough nut to crack

Research shows that grey squirrels are exceptionally fast learners.

Research shows that grey squirrels are exceptionally fast learners.

Published Jul 7, 2015

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London - It is bigger and brawnier. But the real secret of the grey squirrel’s success may be its superior brainpower.

Research shows that grey squirrels, which have taken over vast areas of the British countryside from their cuter but smaller red cousins, are exceptionally fast learners.

Five grey squirrels were “remarkably quick at mastering a spatial puzzle involving finding food in the most efficient way”, the Exeter University researchers said.

They believe this intelligence may help explain why grey squirrels – brought to Britain from America in the 19th century – now dominate in the UK. The research is published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition.

Daily Mail

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