Meet 10 animals that collect treasures

Accumulation (also known as caching) is not just a fascinating psychological quirk of people. It is also an instinctive behavior in which animals store food for later use. The most common reason animals accumulate supplies is to conserve food during periods of surplus (usually summer and autumn) to prepare for times of scarcity (winter); Since many animals do not hibernate for the winter, stockpiling is a necessary survival strategy. The second (and much less common) reason for accumulation is the maturation of inedible food. Third, a 2006 study found that bonobos and orangutans select, transport, and even store tools for up to 14 hours before use, but it is unclear how much this affects their natural behavior.

Typically, there are two types of hoppers: scattered hoppers (which bury food throughout their territory) and burrowers (who concentrate food near their nest). The first behavior plays an important ecological role in the spread of seeds, because the animal sometimes forgets some of its caches and allows the seeds to germinate.

Obviously, accumulation requires a lot of intelligence and hard work from the animal. It also opens up interesting behavior. While trying to find light food, some animals steal or raid caches created by others. Likewise, gatherers have devised new strategies to trick thieves or guard their caches. This list will take a closer look at these behaviors with 10 of the most interesting hoppers in the animal kingdom.

# 10: violin crabs

The fiddler crab is a family of small sea crabs found on salt marshes and sandy beaches. Based on research in which they were deliberately fed, we know that East Asian dairy violin crabs have the ability to accumulate algae, copepods and other food particles during heavy rains when they may not be able to forage. The importance of accumulation is increasing due to the precariousness of life on nutrient-poor beaches. According to the study, females were more likely to forage during the mating season, suggesting that this may have some reproductive value.

# 9: fire ants

The fire ant is a group of several stinging species with a rather venomous and painful venom. Immobilizing prey, the ant returns it to the nest and stores the pieces right under the embankment. The meat is then dried to produce jerky, which is an abundant food source during periods of scarcity. Evidence suggests that it will even raid the nests of other ant species and reclaim parts as a kind of conquering army.

A closely related group of insects called decoy ants have particularly interesting and unique behaviors. These species have the ability to create specialized workers who gorge themselves on honey to the point where their abdomen really begins to swell. These workers would then hang from the ceiling for months or even years like living storage vessels for other ants to extract nutrients from.

# 8: moles

Since moles spend the winter months hiding in underground burrows, they need a good supply of food to help them survive. In the fall, they incapacitate earthworms, either maim or paralyze them with toxins, and then keep them alive in underground caches. One mole can easily collect hundreds of worms at a time. Worms that are fortunate enough to survive this ordeal can sometimes grow their disfigured heads and escape from their burrows.

# 7: short-tailed shrews

All five species of short-tailed shrews have the ability to paralyze their prey (such as insect larvae or snails) with their toxic venom. The prey remains alive, but is in a coma for several days or weeks until it is ready for consumption. If the prey wakes up prematurely, the shrew will simply bite it again to pacify it.

# 6: Corvids

Corvids, like crows, ravens, rooks and jays, are some of the smartest animals in the world; they have an extremely high brain-to-body ratio and excellent memory. It is well known that they love to hoard shiny items like pebbles, jewelry or golf balls, perhaps to impress their peers. Many people may not be aware that hoarding is part of their natural coping strategy. They may have developed this ability as a result of their dietary habits. Since they derive most of their food from rotting carcasses killed by other predators, corvids do not necessarily know where their next food will come from. This makes hoarding an obvious attractive strategy.

But the accumulation of corvids goes beyond the usual behavior of animals. Research has shown that they are able to plan for the future and choose from a variety of different options. Their superior spatial memory allows them to recall cache locations several months after storage, perhaps using landmarks to help them navigate. The California bush jay, a member of the corvid family, is particularly impressive. They can memorize over 200 different food caches and even plan storage for future needs.

# 5: woodpeckers

There are several species of woodpeckers that have the ability to store food, but perhaps none are as amazing as the acorn woodpeckers found in western North America. Whole families or communities of woodpeckers (they are polyamorous and multi-sexed) make thousands of holes in a single tree and stuff them with acorns. Woodpeckers are especially picky about choosing a tree as a potential candidate. He prefers dead limbs or trunks with thick bark so as not to drill through the juice. Unfortunately, he also has a preference for human homes and sheds, which can do quite a bit of damage.

The strategy of filling the tree with acorns was born out of necessity. Since winters in their home range are usually warm and humid, woodpeckers cannot simply heap acorns because they will start to rot. Instead, planting them in a tree will ensure they dry out and last long enough to be eaten later. While insects are actually its main food source, acorns are a handy backup when food is scarce.

However, it is also a very laborious and time consuming process to drill thousands of holes in the wood and constantly move the acorns into the correct sized holes (as they shrink as they dry). They spend most of their lives dedicated to this single task, but this ensures that acorn woodpeckers are rarely left without food.

# 4: Rats and Mice

While their cumulative behavior may not be as well known as that of other rodents, rats and mice do store their food for later use. Kangaroo rats, like hamsters, even have especially pronounced cheek pouches for temporarily storing food before they can store it properly. If these rodents somehow enter the home, their stored food can be found almost anywhere in cramped or dark surroundings, including the attic, kitchen wall, furniture, appliances, and under the bathroom.

# 3: hamsters

Hamsters have come up with an interesting storage solution. When they find food, they sometimes temporarily collect it in their large cheek pouches, effectively doubling the size of the head. Once the hamsters are safely back in their burrow, they will store their food in storage for rarer occasions.

# 2: chipmunks

Nearly all chipmunk species, including the Siberian chipmunk and the western chipmunk, collect and store food for the winter. While some species remain active throughout the year, some chipmunks do enter a prolonged state of low metabolic activity, in which they do not need to eat as much food to survive. Unlike squirrels, the chipmunk usually prefers to gather food together in the same burrow.

# 1: Protein

Tree squirrels (including both red and gray squirrels) are considered typical gatherers of the animal kingdom. This cumulative behavior involves the rather complex process of collecting and storing a wide variety of foods, including nuts, acorns, seeds, berries, and even human food, in underground caches in preparation for the long, harsh winter. They seem to organize food by size, type, and perhaps even taste to make it easier to keep track of.

Since their territory can easily reach 7 acres around their home tree, they rely on their amazing memory and keen sense of smell to find buried caches. Scientists even found that their brains would expand slightly to make it easier to remember. To deal with potential thieves, squirrels sometimes pretend to bury food in the ground, but secretly store it. When the thief is distracted, he flees cleanly. It can be an interesting cat and mouse game, but for squirrels it can be a matter of survival.

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