A squirrel’s chances of survival and successful breeding are improved if it lives next to familiar neighbours, researchers say.
A study measured year-to-year survival of North American red squirrels – and found keeping the same neighbours was so beneficial that it outweighed the negative effects of growing a year older.
However, researchers found that living near genetic neighbours did not improve survival rates.
Lead author Dr Erin Siracusa, of the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter, said: “These squirrels are solitary – each defending a territory with a ‘midden’ (food stash) at the centre – so we might assume they don’t co-operate.”