Splooting Behavior in Animals Signals Extreme Heat Made Worse by Climate Change

According to experts, the splooting behavior observed in animals is an indication that they are experiencing extreme heat, which is even made worse by climate change.

Splooting and Extreme Heat Connection

Animals like bushy-tailed squirrels are "splooting" to adapt as extreme heat events become more frequent as a result of climate change.

Some animals sploot in order to lower their body temperature. Finding cool surfaces, squirrels spread their legs out while reclining on their tummies to cool off.

The goal, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation's Sunny Corrao, is to move the heat out of their bodies.

According to Corrao, animals like squirrels seek out cold areas, and if they can place as much of their core bodies on those areas, the heat will be transferred from their bodies to the cooler surface.

Squirrels, for example, can be observed stretched out in the grass, on a park path, or on a shaded pavement.

Millions of people in the Southern US are experiencing dangerously high temperatures because of heat advisories, and when people are uncomfortable in the heat, animals undoubtedly feel the same way.

Sweating helps people stay cool while they're hot. However, since they are unable to perspire, animals must use alternative methods of cooling down. The birds dive into the water, the dogs pant, and the squirrels sploot.

Splooting and Sweating

The temperatures right now, according to Carlos Botero, a University of Texas associate professor, are a little bit higher than what this animal is typically able to take.

Austin's temperatures have broken all prior records. At 118 degrees, the heat index values, or "feels-like temperature," were at their highest point ever.

According to specialists, this is not typical.

More splooting animals will be visible as long as the heat wave lasts, according to NPR.

Splooting, however, has a limited ability to reduce squirrel heat.

According to incoming assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University and animal physiologist Andrea Rummel, splooting is probably sufficient to keep squirrels cool right now.

However, she cautions that if temperatures rise more, it could not be possible given the limitations of one method of heat loss.

According to Rummel, sweating works extremely well for humans most of the time. But if the weather is too humid and the water won't evaporate, people can sweat as much as possible, but it won't remove the heat from their bodies.

Every type of thermal regulation mechanism has a breaking threshold, according to Rummel, and this point is dependent on the ambient temperature.

As temperatures rise, it will become increasingly difficult for people to sweat properly and squirrels to cool down, MPR News reported.

Animals that Sploot

Bears, dogs, and rabbits are all creatures known for splooting, according to Jules Maron, the operations manager of Austin Wildlife Rescue, Texas Public Radio said.

Dogs and cats can sploot in three different positions, according to PetKeen. In a half sploot, one leg is stretched out while the other is still tucked under the torso; a side sploot is when one leg is stretched out to the side while the other leg is still tucked under the torso; and a full sploot is when both legs are spread out behind the torso.