Thanks to a viral Instagram reel, an interesting debate has emerged. Who is faster, a grey squirrel or a wild bobcat?
In the video, it appears that the squirrel wins the competition. With its superior reflexes, the squirrel pulls off a better recovery as both animals leap from a towering tree. The squirrel displays impressive agility as it disappears up into the leaves, leaving the feline to reconsider its next move.
So, who is faster?
Squirrels (squiridae) can run at speeds of 8 to 12 miles per hour (13 to 19 kilometers per hour) on the ground and reach up to 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) while scaling through trees. There are 200 species of squirrels around the world, but the most common one seen in the United States is the Eastern Grey Squirrel. These tree dwellers are alert and communicate with others by flicking their tails.
Meanwhile, bobcats (lynx rufus) are excellent climbers too, and can run up to 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) and pounce up to 12 feet (3.6 meters). Their size (twice the size of a domestic cat) mixed with their cunning nature and intelligence, makes them fierce predators. They work alone, like most other cats, and like to establish their territory. This one was likely hunting down the squirrel for dinner.
Ultimately, it’s a close one. Although the bobcat has a higher top speed, squirrels can move quickly enough to escape dangerous situations. The squirrel was lucky this time.
