A high school student from Guelph, Ontario, is preparing to showcase her project at a national science fair after transforming her family’s interest in squirrels into a scientific experiment. Kira Egete, a 15-year-old student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, expressed her excitement about the unexpected journey her project has taken from a Grade 10 assignment to a prestigious competition in Edmonton, where she will join 400 fellow students at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.
Kira’s project focused on investigating how squirrels perceive colors, inspired by her family’s fascination with the animals since moving to Canada in 2014. Curious about squirrel vision, she designed a backyard experiment to study their color preferences, challenging the assumption that squirrels, like dogs, are attracted to specific colors. Her hypothesis that squirrels would favor blue and yellow colors similar to dogs was proven incorrect, as the results revealed a preference for red and yellow hues over grey.
Transforming her backyard into a controlled testing environment, Kira conducted 50 trials to observe squirrel behavior towards different colored pots containing peanuts. The study indicated that squirrels are more drawn to warmer colors like red and yellow, offering insights that could be applied in wildlife rehabilitation centers or for deterring squirrels from specific areas.
Kira’s dedication to her project earned her recognition at her school’s science fair, leading to her selection to compete at the Waterloo-Wellington Science and Engineering Fair and subsequently at the national level. Despite her nerves, Kira’s passion for science and determination to explore more of Canada motivated her to excel in the competitions.
Apart from her scientific achievements, Kira is actively involved in charitable endeavors within her school community and participates in various extracurricular activities. Her experience with the squirrel study has further fueled her interest in STEM fields, considering a future in engineering, medicine, or entrepreneurship.
Looking ahead to the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton, Kira remains fascinated by squirrels, describing them as “adorable creatures” after dedicating two months to studying their behavior and color preferences. Her journey from a simple school project to a national science fair finalist showcases her passion for science and the impact of her research on understanding the world through squirrels’ eyes.
