Ever See A Squirrel Or Other Animal Do This Pose? Here’s What It Means

Elvis a Galapagos Tortoise is sprayed with water as staff at the Phoenix Zoo take extra measures to keep animals and guests cool during a record heat wave in Phoenix, Arizona on July 19, 2023. Millions suffered through intense heat July 19, 2023, as fires raged, health worries mounted, and the world appeared headed for its hottest month of July on record. In Arizona, the mercury at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport again reached 110 Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) on July 18, 2023, breaking the previous record of 18 consecutive days at or above that temperature, set in 1974. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)

On July 17, Patricia Chavez came across a squirrel in her backyard lying in an unusual position: it was sprawled out on its stomach, legs stretched out. In other words, it was “splooting.”

But what exactly is splooting? It turns out, it’s a technique that some animals turn to in order to lower their body temperatures during times of excessive heat.