Many squirrel species cache food for consumption later. Even squirrels of a young age are able to dig and bury food, even if they have never watched another member of their species bury food. They are able to retrieve food that is buried very well, and it is thought they use landmarks around the burial site of the food to return to that spot and find their food. Based on this description, the burial of food is a(n) _____ behavior, and the retrieval of food is _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ability to dig and bury food is an innate behavior, meaning it is instinctual and does not depend on learning or experience. However, the ability to retrieve the food by using landmarks is a learned behavior, as it requires the squirrel to associate certain landmarks with the location of its buried food.

Many Squirrel Species Cache Food for Consumption Later