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The splootin' squirrels of SoCal are keepin' cool [1]

['Jason Weisberger']

Date: 2026-10-09  

Squirrels were melting into the ground during the last Southern California heatwave.

Scientists explain "splooting" as rodents spreading out to expose as much of their thermal mass as possible to the cooler ground. It looks cute, but residents should still avoid squirrels as the nefarious criminal masterminds of the wild animal world.

Sometimes thermoregulation looks a lot like quitting.

Previously:

• Squirrel has no time for snake's reptilian bullshit

• A squirrel named Furry Boi wins UC Berkeley student senate seat

• Santa Monica created a squirrel buffet and got a squirrel problem

• Watch: Clever squirrel uses slinky to shoot chipmunk away from its food

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2026/10/09/southern-california-squirrels-splooting.html

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