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Squirrel Behavior: Belmont vs. Nashville

The document summarizes a study comparing squirrel behavior on Belmont University's campus to squirrels in three Nashville parks. The study found that Belmont squirrels did not interact more closely with humans than squirrels in the parks, contrary to the hypothesis. Researchers observed squirrels and recorded how close they could get and how long squirrels tolerated a human presence. A two-way ANOVA statistical analysis found significant differences in squirrel behavior between locations. The results contradict some previous research finding urban squirrels fled more quickly from humans. Factors like weather, noise, and other distractions may have influenced the study's results.

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154 views7 pages

Squirrel Behavior: Belmont vs. Nashville

The document summarizes a study comparing squirrel behavior on Belmont University's campus to squirrels in three Nashville parks. The study found that Belmont squirrels did not interact more closely with humans than squirrels in the parks, contrary to the hypothesis. Researchers observed squirrels and recorded how close they could get and how long squirrels tolerated a human presence. A two-way ANOVA statistical analysis found significant differences in squirrel behavior between locations. The results contradict some previous research finding urban squirrels fled more quickly from humans. Factors like weather, noise, and other distractions may have influenced the study's results.

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Squirrel Behavior on

Belmont’s Campus
vs. Nashville Parks
By: Katie Davis, Breanna McArdle, Sophia
Peck, Brenden McGary
Introduction
● Background Information: This group previously observed that the squirrels on Belmont’s

campus seemed to be more comfortable around humans than squirrels at other places we’ve been.

For that reason, squirrels’ behavior regarding human interaction is the main focus for this project.

○ Source 1: urban vs rural squirrels → experimental design was similar

○ Source 2: understanding how to test animal behaviors

● Question: How close can people get to squirrels on Belmont’s campus versus other parks in

Nashville?

● Hypothesis: The squirrels on Belmont’s campus are more receptive to human interaction than the

squirrels in other parts of Nashville.


Methods
We visited Belmont University, Sevier Park, Fannie Mae Dees Park, and Centennial Park seven to eight

times each for a total observational time of one hundred and twenty minutes per person.

1) Find a squirrel.

2) Get closer until you are within 10 feet of the squirrel (visually).

3) Begin a timer and wait for 60 seconds.

a) If the squirrel moves within those 60 seconds, record the time it fled.

b) If the squirrel does NOT move within those 60 seconds, begin taking slow steps

toward the squirrel and record the time it flees.

i) “Single Step Method”

(1) Reduce inconsistency in data from differing step size


Results
● Statistical Analysis:
○ Two-Way ANOVA
■ Ho: Squirrels at Belmont will get closer in proximity to humans than squirrels at
the other three parks.
■ Ha: At least one location mean differs.
■ Ho: Squirrels at Belmont will withstand human presence longer than squirrels at
the other three parks. P-value: <.0001
■ Ha: At least one location mean differs
○ P-value: <.0001 → Reject the Ho
○ Post-Hoc Analysis
■ TukeyHSD
■ Value for 5% significance level: 11.61
Discussion
● At the 5% significance level, there is enough evidence to suggest that Belmont’s squirrels do not interact
with humans more than squirrels at the other three Nashville parks.

● As it can be seen from the output, there are differences in squirrel behavior at each location.

● Therefore, we reject our null hypothesis and conclude that Belmont squirrels are no more receptive to
human interaction than squirrels at other Nashville parks.

● The data somewhat contradicts other research we’ve read. In an experiment comparing squirrels’
behavioral responses to human activity, squirrels in habitats with higher human activity fled quicker than
in spots with lower human activity.

● Weather conditions, construction nearby, outside people distracting squirrels, and noise levels all possibly
made the data biased → shorter time frame, decrease the testing area size, counting the number of people
Works Cited
Responses of urban gray squirrels (scurius carolinensis) to humans and conspecifics in an area of Boston common.
Responses of urban gray squirrels (Scurius carolinensis) to humans and conspecifics in an area of Boston Common | Writing
Program. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2023, from [Link]

Cooper, C. A., Neff, A. J., Poon, D. P., & Smith, G. R. (2008). Behavioral responses of eastern gray squirrels in suburban
habitats differing in human activity levels. Northeastern Naturalist, 15(4), 619–625.
[Link]

Ploger, Bonnie J., and Ken Yasukawa. Exploring Animal Behavior in Laboratory and Field an Hypothesis-Testing Approach
to the Development, Causation, Function, and Evolution of Animal Behavior. San Diego, Calif. ;: Academic, 2003. Print.
[Link]

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