Why do squirrels bury acorns?
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If you were a squirrel, where would you hide your acorn snack?
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Transcript
Why do squirrels bury acorns in the ground? Let's wonder together!
In fall, squirrels find lots of acorns under oak trees. They carry some away and tuck them into the dirt.
The buried acorns are snacks saved for later. When food is harder to find, a squirrel can dig one up and eat it.
Sometimes a squirrel forgets where an acorn is hiding. That acorn may grow into a tiny oak tree.
So that's why squirrels bury acorns: they are saving food for later. The forgotten ones can help new oak trees grow!
For grown-ups: the science
Squirrels bury acorns to save them as food for later.
Many squirrels cache nuts in scattered hiding places, especially in autumn, to eat when food is less available. They use memory, smell, and landmarks to find many caches. Uneaten acorns can germinate, so squirrels also help spread oak trees.