Squirrel Exercises and Trains Like an Elite Athlete – Squirrel Appreciation Day!

Do wild animals consciously choose to work out or exercise? Surprisingly there is very little research on this topic. I was fortunate to capture this amazing video of a wild red squirrel clearly mentally and physically preparing and training for a future athletic event of escaping a predator from a high feeding station off my deck - the human equivalent of the long jump. But much more than that - just like an elite athlete - the squirrel used planning, foresight and knowledge of natural physics and basic technology to improve his performance by designing a better launching pad, making adjustments, testing, and then adjusting again until reaching peak performance. Enjoy on Squirrel Appreciation Day January 21st, 2020!