“Many types of social encounters also involve olfaction, from the mutual sniffing of oral glands during greeting behavior by both sexes to the monitoring of female reproduction by males….We have seen males join a mating bout after being attracted from 929.6 yards… downwind.” — Steele and Koprowski, North American Tree Squirrels
Can you imagine how different human behavior would be, if it were governed by rules similar to those of squirrels?
As an allergic, often congested squirrel, I’d be severely handicapped.
Until I read your last line, I thought the quote was about humans. I consider my sense of smell to be more powerful than my sense of sight and hearing…a smell can transport me to another time, to another place…people can detect the scents of their lovers, and women their children. Some smells can make me physically ill, others emotionally ill. Perhaps the difference between humans and animals is that we haven’t fully tapped into the sense (just as we use only a fraction of our brain power). Thanks for this post…it’s gotten me thinking…
Comment by Fat Charlatan — May 31, 2006 @ 9:25 am
Yikes, I just realized I never specified this was about squirrels. I’m going to go back to edit my post.
Comment by Administrator — May 31, 2006 @ 10:41 am