Squirrel power – defending the nut

One of the best things to do on a warm afternoon is to sit outside on the lawn of the Mount Nelson hotel, sipping cooldrink and watching squirrels run to and fro grabbing acorns from the grass and dashing up the large oak trees to hide their treasured possession.

Squirrels, your probably know, hide their nuts in a stash. What you may not be aware of is that since certain acorns contain high levels of bitter tannins, squirrels may at times let the acorns rest for a long while in a place that allows water to filter them, slowly removing the nasty-tasting tannins. Isn't that clever!?