Sound familiar? Female squirrels do all the work while the males laze around

Biologists tracked the activity of a group of ground squirrels in Alaska
The squirrels wore fitness trackers to monitor their movement
The study found that females spent more time in the burrow rearing pups
But data revealed females matched the activity of males above ground

Published: 07:41 EST, 5 October 2016 | Updated: 10:22 EST, 5 October 2016

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Arctic ground squirrels are giving a bad name to small, furry males everywhere.

While females busy themselves with the job of rearing young and gathering food, their other halves may prefer to take a backseat, lazing around outside the burrow instead.

The findings come from a study using fitness trackers to monitor squirrel activity, revealing the industrious females work harder, despite spending less time above ground.

Taking a breather: Researchers have revealed that while female ground squirrels busy themselves with rearing young and gathering food, males may prefer to take a backseat

TRACKING SQUIRRELS

Biologists used specialised collars to track the activity of rodents in Alaska.

Accelerometers just like those inside a smartphone were used to show when the animals moved.

Light monitors captured when they were above or below ground, by measuring natural light.

More than just an exposing the workshy males, the researchers say the technology can help them to better understand how the rodents spend their time, and energy, in their natural habitat.

Researchers at Northern Arizona University monitored the activity levels of more than 40 of the north American rodents over the course of two years, using specially designed collars.

Accelerometers just like those inside a smartphone were used to show when the animals moved, while light monitors captured when they were above or below ground – by logging exposure to daylight.

The group had expected to see differences between males and females during their reproductive cycles, including how much time they spend below ground, but the activity logs revealed a few surprises.

The study found that females spent more time below ground than males, rearing pups.

But far from being stay-at-home mothers, the nursing females also ventured above ground to collect food, with a work rate which put the slacking males to shame.

The activity logs showed that despite spending up to six hours less above ground each day, females matched the overall activity of males.

What's more, the researchers are none the wiser as to what the males are doing with their extra free time.

All work and no play: Activity logs revealed that despite taking care of the pups and spending less time above ground, female ground squirrels had a work rate which put the males to shame (stock image)

Writing in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group explains: ‘This study indicates that male ground squirrels do not reduce their risk of predation outside of the mating season by spending more time below ground.

‘It is not clear what these animals are doing while above ground, particularly given their [activity] is lower than females during gestation and late lactation.’

Biologist Cory Williams told Science Magazine: ‘[We] saw that females have less opportunity to leave their burrows because they’re caring for their young, but when they do leave, they’re much more active than males are on the surface.

‘Knowing how the arctic ground squirrels allot their time and energy helps us see how they avoid predators and search for food.’