Most prey animals shun the scent of their predators. The discovery of some ground squirrels deliberately covering themselves with the scent of a predator surprised many scientists. In the case of California ground squirrels and rock squirrels, researchers observed that the animals actually chewed on pieces of shed rattlesnake skin and applied the scent on their fur.
At first, the action seemed to be risky or even irrational. However, scientists think that the animals could be practicing chemical camouflage by applying the snake's scent to their body. The theory is fairly simple, although very unique. A squirrel that smells less like a prey animal and more like the general snake scent in its surroundings will confuse the rattlesnake while it searches for prey. It has come to be one of the most surprising examples of prey animals adapting to their predators.
The bizarre activity of the squirrels
This phenomenon was detailed in a research article published in the journal Animal Behaviour. The scientists observed that California ground squirrels and rock squirrels actually chewed on shed rattlesnake skins and applied the scent on themselves. The behavior was termed a "novel anti-predator behavior" by the scientists who noted that it could decrease the probability of the squirrel being detected by snakes.
Significantly, the contact between the squirrel and the snake skin seemed intentional rather than accidental. The University of California, Davis, later stated that squirrels use snake scent to cover up their odor from predators. This is important as it alters the way scientists understand the behavior. Instead of signaling a danger, the scent could be used as a form of camouflage.
How the scent of a predator can help prey
Using the scent of a predator is counterintuitive since prey animals are supposed to avoid predator odors. However, animal behavior experts note that animal scents have multiple roles depending on the circumstances.
According to a government report on olfactory camouflage, some animals such as ground squirrels use predator odors for strategic reasons. Some animals use the environment odor to decrease their detectability. Essentially, the squirrel would smell less like a squirrel and more like part of the snake's environment.
Scientists find this significant since rattlesnakes depend largely on chemical signals while hunting. It means that when the signals get confused or diluted, the predator will have difficulty identifying the prey in its environment. The review on predator odor biology also mentioned that olfactory camouflage reduces the information gathered by the predators from scent.
