Tag Archives: squirrel

This Drowsy Squirrel Might Pave the Way for Innovative Heart Disease Treatments

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A hibernating species of North American squirrel might provide vital insights for tackling one of the most persistent and lethal heart diseases globally.

California’s biotechnology firm fauna ecology has created a novel drug based on the genetic insights of hibernating mammals.

The small molecule drug, referred to as Faun 1083, targets heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)—a form of heart failure impacting millions and lacking effective treatments.

Fauna’s strategy draws inspiration from the natural world, as noted by CEO Dr. Ashley Zehnder: “We’re investigating where biological evidence exists for disease resistance or recovery,” as mentioned in BBC Science Focus.

“Years of physiological research indicate that ground squirrels can safeguard their hearts from harm during hibernation. Additionally, heart failure ranks as one of the top causes of death worldwide.”

By examining how the adorable American line squirrel protects its organs while hibernating, Dr. Fauna discovered a gene that aids the animal in averting tissue damage and scarring—critical factors in heart failure among humans.

“What is elevated in the ground squirrel’s system, which shields the heart from harm, may be diminished in humans suffering from heart failure,” Zehnder explains. “This informs our focus on the pathways that are crucial for human health issues.”

Currently, there are limited effective treatments for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) beyond merely alleviating symptoms – Photo credit: Getty

Fauna’s AI-enhanced discovery platform analyzes these protective traits across animal genomes and human genetic data to identify potential drug targets.

According to Zehnder, the resultant compound Faun 1083 stems directly from research into the cardiac biology of ground squirrels. The new treatment has already shown potential during preclinical trials and is set to undergo animal safety assessments prior to commencing human trials next year.

Fauna Bio’s research is part of a burgeoning field known as ‘comparative genomics,’ which seeks evolutionary insights to enhance human health.

The company is part of the Zoonomia Consortium, which unveils adaptations that enable animals to resist disease and recover from tissue damage.

“Our goal is to leverage evolutionary adaptations,” Zehnder asserts. “Humans rarely cure diseases naturally, but many mammals worldwide do so regularly… Why not utilize the full spectrum of nature’s experiments?”

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Unveiling the Reality of Borneo’s “Vampire Squirrel” and Its Enormous Tail

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Ever find yourself gazing at adorable things until they start to seem a bit creepy? Think of garden gnomes, baby dolls, kids dressed as princesses, and all cats. Well, there’s one more addition to this peculiar list.

The tufted ground squirrel (Rheithrosciurus macrotis) may appear cute with its bright eyes and bushy tail, but the Dayak hunters of Borneo view it as a cold-blooded killer.

This ruthless rodent, nicknamed “Vampire Alice,” is infamous for allegedly flipping deer onto their backs, using its razor-sharp teeth to sever their jugular veins, causing the animals to bleed out.

Those who discovered the remains of a deer in the woods suspect that the squirrel returns to the scene to feast on the deer’s heart, liver, and stomach.

In villages bordering the forest, tufted ground squirrels are also known to prey on domestic chickens and consume their hearts and livers.

The squirrel gained notoriety in 2014 thanks to a paper written by 15-year-old Emily Meyard, titled Academic Paper, which revealed folk tales about animals with a bloodthirsty reputation.

The paper was published in Taprobanica: Journal of Biodiversity in Asia and has since made these once-overlooked creatures go viral. Articles have been written, videos shared, perhaps making Beatrix Potter reconsider her legacy.

In 2015, footage of one caught on camera went viral for the first time, however, it did not catch any herbivores in the act.

Instead, they were seen foraging in Gunungparun National Park in West Kalimantan, where action from the killer critter remained elusive, but new revelations emerged.

The tufted ground squirrel shares its native Borneo habitat with Prevost’s squirrel, a fluffy creature with a black, reddish-brown, and white coat that prefers life among the trees. – Credit: Richard McManus via Getty

In 2020, researchers discovered that the unusual teeth of these squirrels—long incisors with intricate ridges—are adapted for cracking open tough nuts.

Tufted ground squirrels are highly specialized seed predators, with a strong preference for canarium tree nuts.

It turns out the perception of tufted ground squirrels as fearsome creatures is a misconception. They truly have bright eyes and fluffy tails.

In fact, their bushy tails are among the largest proportionally of any mammal, being 30% larger than their bodies.

The reason for this unusual trait remains uncertain. Since they spend most of their time on the forest floor seeking food, it’s not for warmth, as it rarely gets cold in Borneo.

This could be related to attracting mates, deterring predators, or perhaps serving a mysterious form of camouflage. Their tail, which features a charcoal hue with frosty accents, helps them blend into the forest floor.

Regardless, I’ve stopped disparaging tufted ground squirrels and have learned to appreciate them as genuinely fascinating creatures.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Magnificent Giant Flying Squirrel that Roamed North America

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Paleontologists have discovered 4.9 million (Early Pliocene) fossilized ruins of an extinct flying squirrel Myopetaulista Webbi Tennessee, USA. Generation of the genus Myopetaulista Eastern North America is bewildered because it is separated from the known geographical range of the genus and the extent of organisms of its sister species. Petaurista. Researchers assume that Myopetaulista which is linked to a warm forest environment and was dispersed across North America through the Beringland Bridge during the warm phase of the early Pliocene.

The lifespan of a flying fossil squirrel Miopetaurista neogrivensis It indicates that the animal is ready to land on a tree branch. Image credit: Oscasani Sidro / ICP.

Myopetaulista Webbi It jumps over the sky in what is now southern Appalachia, sliding over rhinoceros, mastodons and red pandas.

New materials of this kind have been discovered in Grey Fossil Site In Tennessee.

“discovery Myopetaulista In North America, this genus was very unexpected because it is known only from Eurasia,” said Dr. Isaac Casanovas Bilar, paleontologist at Mikel Crusafont of paleontology at the University of Barcelona. .

“There have been some uncertain reports from Florida, but new specimens from the grey fossil site provide new information, with these giant flying squirrels coming together alongside other mammals around five million years ago. It helped me to make sure I crossed the bridge.”

According to paleontologists, Myopetaulista Webbi Probably closely related Myopetaulista Tarelionly known Pliocene Eurasian species.

“The Appalachians today may try to think of these ancient creatures as closely related to the squirrels that regularly see them,” the researchers said.

“However, their closest relatives are giant flying squirrels from Japan, China, and Indonesia.”

“These giant flying squirrels have a lightweight build, weighing around three pounds, and were pretty agile on the treetop.”

“When they arrived in Tennessee now, the world was much warmer than it is now.”

“Its warm climate allows squirrel ancestors to travel across North America and could slip through dense, damp forests like those preserved in the fossil records of grey sites millions of years ago.”

The new specimen is Myopetaulista A genus of North America.

“As the climate cooled over time, Pleistocene ice age led to the isolation of these giant flying squirrels in warm shelters like Florida, and ultimately contributed to their extinction.” Miquel Crusafont from the University of Barcelona.

“The Last American Myopetaulista It has lived for millions of years since the species of Eurasian of this genus disappeared.

Team's work It was published in Journal of Mammalian Evolution.

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M. Grau-Camats et al. 2025. Intercontinental Sliding: A Review of the North American Records of Giant Flying Squirrels Myopetaulista (Rodentia, Sciuridae) Description of new materials for the grey fossil site (Tennessee). J Mammal Evol 32, 8; doi:10.1007/s10914-025-09751-w

Source: www.sci.news