Splooting season has arrived

If you see a squirrel lying flat on the ground, don’t panic. It’s probably just ‘splooting.’

Texas Wildlife Officials say the heat is prompting squirrels to ‘sploot’ to stay cool. As summer temperatures in Texas have stayed consistently high in the last few weeks, these small mammals are doing what they can to beat the heat.

“Splooting” is when squirrels lay spread-eagle, face down with all four paws on a cool surface to help lower their body temperatures, according to wildlife officials. They can be seen “splooting” on the ground, in trees or on roofs.