do squirrels remember where they bury their nuts

Squirrels do remember where they bury their nuts, though the accuracy of their memory can vary. Research shows that squirrels have excellent spatial memory and often recall the locations of their buried nuts rather than relying solely on scent. Studies on gray squirrels demonstrated that they retrieve significantly more of their own caches than those of other squirrels, even after days or weeks, indicating a strong memory for precise locations. They also use a system of organizing nuts of the same type into clustered caches, which helps in memory retention. However, squirrels might forget some of the locations or abandon certain caches in favor of ones easier to find. Additionally, squirrels use their sense of smell as a backup method and engage in deceptive behaviors like fake digging to protect their caches from other squirrels. Overall, squirrels combine spatial memory, olfactory cues, and behavioral strategies to effectively manage their food caches.