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In our cover story, we shine a spotlight on “ The Magazine
Whether in a peaceful corner of a suburban backyard or in a busy part of the city within a park, people can see the small furry mammals called squirrels jumping from one tree to another. They often go unnoticed except for the entertaining nature of their movement.
The most striking example being Peanut, who is no ordinary squirrel. This clever little critter captured the heart of many due to her remarkable abilities, such as more sophisticated problem solving skills, more animal mimicry that is usual for a wild animal, and caring behaviours. By completing advanced food puzzles, Peanut is proof that squirrels far surpass the previously believed simple cognitive ability.
What began as a social media novelty rapidly escalated to a viral phenomenon. Videos depicting Peanut the squirrel ‘solving’ complex tasks to obtain food demonstrate the use of problem-solving skills, and they have sparked debate amongst biologists and behaviourists. Labeled either learned behaviour or instinct, the videos raise a deeper question of whether squirrel intelligence is underestimated.
Peanut the squirrel might be extraordinary, but his kind are exceptionally intelligent. To illustrate, squirrels are able to remember the locations of hundreds of buried nuts because of their spatial memory, retracing their steps with the aid of certain environmental clues. More so, a number of squirrels employ a cunning strategy where they pretend to bury food to ‘fool’ those that might be watching them.
Research in animal cognition is important not only for the particular discipline but for many others as well. It turns out that squirrels can adapt to new surroundings, learn from prior experiences, and surprisingly enough, even manage to evaluate risk in highly intricate ways.
Peanut’s story exemplifies the more scientific observations. It personifies and warms the domain of animal cognition, highlighting that intelligence is not reserved for big-brained creatures like dolphins and primates. Rather, the world is full of small and furry wonders that contain the potential for big ideas.
Additionally, Peanut reinforces the reasoning for systematic kindness. Given the appropriate time, space, and stimulation, animals often exceed our expectations. In light of their growing intelligence, we’ve also had to reconsider our treatment of them.
Engaging with the intelligence of animals like Peanut is not merely a scholarly undertaking. There are practical outcomes in conservation strategies, habitat design, animal welfare, and even in robotics, where the role of biologically inspired systems is expanding. Increased understanding allows better incorporation of wildlife within a metropolitan landscape.
While Peanut the Squirrel may be small, the insights she provides into animal intelligence are expansive and brimming with potential. As non-human cognition is appreciated more deeply, there is also heightened obligation to defend and preserve these beings, regardless of the minute size of their footprints.
