Root For Yourself In The Ninja Warrior Squirrel Challenge

Have you ever watched a relentlessly clever squirrel outwit a squirrel-proof bird feeder? Few things are more entertaining. In fact, stumping squirrels is big business, and studying how different squirrel personalities respond to environmental challenges is actually some people's day job. And yes, you read that right: "squirrel personalities." Finally, scientists have the intellectual freedom to admit animals have personalities. In today's episode, Ann and Lisa discuss animal personality science in the context of squirrels. We also introduce you to the four game show contestants, Rick, Marty, Frank, and Phat Gus, who competed in an obstacle course for a cache prize of walnuts. Bored and isolated during the early days of the pandemic, YouTube engineer and inventor. Mark Rober decided to become a birdwatcher, but before he knew it, he was producing and hosting a crazy new YouTube show, Backyard Squirrel Maze 1.0: Ninja Warrior Course. 

Want to follow up on our sources or watch any of the videos we mention? Go to ThisAnimalLife.com and click on Show Notes.  

Aliperti, Jaclyn R., et. al., “Bridging animal personality with space use and resource use in a free-ranging population of an asocial ground squirrel,” Science Direct, Vol. 180, October 2021. 

Darwin, Charles, essay, “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals,” Darwin Online, 1872.

Ebert, Roger, review of “Day of the Jackal,” Roger Eber. Com, July 1973. “One hell of an exciting movie.”

Kerlin, Kat, “Personality Matters, Even for Squirrels,” UC Davis, September 2021.

Luckey, Bud, animator, “Sesame Street: That’s About the Size,” YouTube.

Luscomb, Richard, “Squirrels have human-like personality traits,” The Guardian, September 2021.

“Meerkat Manor,” Wikipedia page.

Micu, Alexandra, “Understanding squirrel Personalities can help us better protect endangered species,” ZME Science, September 22, 2021.

Morgan, Lloyd, “Morgan’s Canon,” Oxford Reference.

O’Leary, Denyse, “Why Do Researchers Wonder Whether Animals Have Personalities?” Mind Matters, February 2021.

Rober, Mark, “Backyard Squirrel Maze 1.0: Ninja Warrior Course,” YouTube, May 24, 2020.

Shivik, John A., “Do animals have personalities? Why scientists are starting to admit they do,”  NBC News, December 2017.

Sorcerer, directed by William Friedkin, starring Roy Scheider, Universal Pictures and Paramount, 1977. Be patient with the early backstories or just skip them till Roy gets to the jungle.

Young, Miriam, Miss Suzy #1, Purple House Press, 1964, 2004.