Research
What the Squirrels Taught Me
To observe a squirrel is to witness memory in motion, decision in real time, and evolution at work.
My research journey began during my time at Vanderbilt University, where I conducted extended behavioral observations of the campus’s eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). I spent months tracking how individual squirrels stored and retrieved food, reacted to social presence, and exhibited surprisingly distinct personality traits. These field notes—collected in quiet hours under campus trees—led me deeper into the world of scientific inquiry.
It was through this lens of lived curiosity that I began to explore the wider research landscape. I was fascinated to learn that grey squirrels can remember not only the locations of their buried caches, but also the contents and relative value of each one (Delgado & Jacobs, 2017; Sonnenberg & Jacobs, 2020). Studies also show that they adjust their behavior based on social context—engaging in false caching or delaying hiding food if other squirrels are watching (Steele et al., 2008; Péron, Rat-Fischer, & Nagle, 2021). Some even demonstrate rule-based learning and contextual decision-making, suggesting cognitive abilities far more complex than their size might imply (Sonnenberg, Mondok, & Jacobs, 2020).
On a larger scale, their actions have profound ecological implications. Squirrels are vital contributors to seed dispersal, and by forgetting some of their caches, they inadvertently help regenerate forests and shape ecosystems (Vander Wall, 2010; Sun & Jacobs, 2022). Their behaviors—refined by millions of years of evolutionary pressure—reflect a delicate balance between memory, instinct, and adaptability.
My own fieldwork and independent observations often echoed what scientists have uncovered in controlled studies. These parallels continue to shape the way I view the natural world and inspire the work I do today—whether it's designing miniature sculptures, supporting conservation, or simply encouraging people to look closer at the creatures most overlook. Squirrels have taught me that intelligence is everywhere, that memory matters, and that even the smallest lives are woven into something much bigger than ourselves.
Delgado, M. M., & Jacobs, L. F. (2017). Caching for where and what: Evidence for a mnemonic strategy in a scatter-hoarder. Animal Cognition, 20(6), 1155–1163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-017-1128-4
Herde, A., & Eccard, J. A. (2013). Consistency in boldness, activity and exploration at different stages of life. BMC Ecology, 13(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-13-49
Péron, F., Rat-Fischer, L., & Nagle, L. (2021). Behavioral flexibility and social context: Caching strategies in Eurasian jays and squirrels. Ethology, 127(4), 289–298. https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.13144
Sonnenberg, B. R., & Jacobs, L. F. (2020). Memory for cache value and consequences for foraging decisions in fox squirrels. Ethology, 126(3), 333–345. https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.12994
Sonnenberg, B. R., Mondok, J. J., & Jacobs, L. F. (2020). Rule-based generalization in a spatial classification task by free-ranging fox squirrels. Learning & Behavior, 48(1), 40–51. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13420-019-00391-7
Steele, M. A., Halkin, S. L., Smallwood, P. D., McKenna, T. J., Mitsopoulos, K., & Beam, M. (2008). Cache protection strategies of a scatter-hoarding rodent: Do tree squirrels engage in behavioural deception? Animal Behaviour, 75(2), 705–714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.07.026
Sun, C., & Jacobs, L. F. (2022). Scatter-hoarding squirrels as unintentional foresters: Climate implications for seed caching and tree regeneration. Ecological Applications, 32(4), e2599. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2599
Vander Wall, S. B. (2010). The ecology of seed dispersal by animals. In J. D. Levey, W. R. Silva, & M. Galetti (Eds.), Seed Dispersal and Frugivory: Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (pp. 123–145). CABI Publishing.