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Natural Behaviors

Do squirrels remember where they bury nuts? Cache memory

October 13, 2026September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Eastern gray squirrel pressing an acorn into a shallow hole in a leaf-covered forest floor in autumn

Eastern gray squirrels use spatial memory and smell to recover buried nuts, organizing caches by seed type and using deceptive tactics to outwit rivals.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Squirrel

What is a squirrel’s biggest enemy in the wild?

October 7, 2026September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
A grey squirrel freezes on a forest log as a red-tailed hawk dives from above and a red fox watches from the shadows.

A squirrel’s biggest enemies vary by habitat: pine martens and raptors in forests, grizzly bears on tundra, and cats and cars in cities.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Squirrel

Are bats good or bad to have around? Benefits and risks

September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Little brown bat in mid-flight with wings spread against a warm amber and violet dusk sky

Bats are beneficial outdoors as insect hunters, pollinators, and seed dispersers, but indoor roosts bring guano hazards and rabies risks that require careful management.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Bat

What eats bats at night? Predators of the flying mammals

October 7, 2026September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Barn owl diving with talons extended toward a small bat silhouetted against a dark night sky at the forest edge.

Owls, snakes, raccoons, spiders, and even other bats prey on bats at night, targeting them mostly at roosts rather than in flight.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Bat

Are Bats Afraid of Humans? What the Evidence Shows

September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Brown bat hanging upside down from a tree branch at dusk in a dim twilight forest

Bats normally avoid humans, and evidence shows that those which approach people are often sick. Here is what the research actually says about bat behavior and risk.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Bat

Are coyotes aggressive to humans? Rare bites explained

September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
A wary coyote pausing at the edge of a quiet suburban street at dusk, looking back over its shoulder

Coyotes rarely bite people and almost always flee from humans. Learn what triggers the exceptions, who is most at risk, and how to prevent conflict.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Coyote

Are squirrels good or bad to have around? Both, really

October 7, 2026September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Eastern gray squirrel holding an acorn on an oak branch above a forest floor with freshly cached seeds

Squirrels bury seeds that grow into trees and feed rare predators, but they also raid feeders, strip bark, and gnaw into homes. Whether they help or harm depends on where they are.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Squirrel

Do opossums carry rabies? Why bites are so rare

October 13, 2026September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Virginia opossum standing alert on a mossy log in a twilight woodland, pale gray fur lit by amber dusk light

Opossums can carry rabies but confirmed cases are rare. A cool body temperature and low survival odds make them unlikely hosts next to bats, raccoons or skunks.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Opossum

Do squirrels hibernate? Only some ground squirrels

October 7, 2026September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Gray squirrel digging in snow beside a curled ground squirrel near its burrow entrance in winter

Tree squirrels stay active all winter by caching food. Only some ground squirrels truly hibernate, dropping close to freezing for months at a time.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Squirrel

Do raccoons hibernate? How they handle the cold

September 28, 2026 by Animals Editorial Team
Wild raccoon with ringed tail resting at the entrance of a snow-framed hollow tree cavity in winter forest

Raccoons do not hibernate. Instead they enter torpor, a flexible winter sleep that slows their metabolism while allowing them to wake and feed whenever conditions improve.

Categories Natural Behaviors Tags Raccoon
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Recent articles

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  • Why do octopuses have three hearts? Gill and systemic flow

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