The squirrel is a Socialist

[Wiregrass Willie]

Somewhere over the years I have read that the squirrel, with all of his hoarding of food, was a typical capitalist. Like a lot of things I have read, that too is wrong.

Saturday I was sitting on the patio reading, and I watched two squirrels scurrying around my back yard. Apparently they had found a rich source of pecans and I watched as they buried two or three apiece. Beside being cute, they are very intelligent little animals. I had seen them bring the nuts from the area of my neighbor to the East. When they finished they left in a Westerly direction. Evidently heading for a large wooded area about a mile away. This got me to thinking. Odds are they will never return to my yard much less to the nuts they left behind. But it's almost certain that some squirrel will. And in the early spring next year, some squirrel will find a good meal to satisfy her needs while she builds a nest in a tree in my back yard. And what is the new squirrel doing now ? Surely wherever she is at, she is leaving a good supply of nuts for another squirrel to find.

This proves the squirrel is definitely not a capitalist. No, indeed. He is a socially aware little animal who works all day knowing that other squirrels are doing the same -- and when he gets hungry, he knows that food will be awaiting him.

If the squirrel is not a socialist, he is at least the most progressive of the animal kingdom :-)

I'd like to paraphrase a famous biblical quote : "Go to the squirrel thou sluggard -- consider her ways -- and be wise".

[knitter4democracy]

1. Most squirrels never find most of their nuts, from what I've heard.

That's how trees grow--the squirrel buries the nuts, forgets about it, and the tree grows.

Our squirrels are running about like mad these days. There's less food this fall, though, due to the massive heat wave and drought this summer. I hope they get through the winter.

[nashville_brook]

2. i knew there was a reason why i like squirrels

i've also heard that they don't remember where the nuts are buried.

[Rick Myers]

3. Squirrels do what's called 'scattered hoarding'

The are the most successful urban dwelling animal because of it. They are also very smart. I have one in my area trained to respond to my voice. He will come running when I call him. Of couse, he then expects some peanuts or a chunk of apple. BTW: Squirrels love apples! I can toss a core on the grass and it will be gone in minutes...

[TahitiNut]

4. The horror! The horror!

Buried alive by a squirrel! What hell will DU wish upon us Nuts next???

:grr: :crazy: :scared: :crazy:

[terisan]

5. What a fabulous analysis-not only do squirrels work collectively but they also help out the trees.

Regular planeteers.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

6. I always knew Rocky was cool. Is Bullwinkle sort of like

Che Guavera?

[Az]

7. Actually science is finding that other critters are altruistic

Chimps, rats, and all sorts of social critters. The common thread is that there is an altruistic streak in all of us.

Altruistic rats http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070703173345.htm

Altruistic chimps http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070625085134.htm

Altruism is not the stuff of indoctrination and weakness as Ayn Rand once asserted. Its simply a natural aspect of human and animal nature.