Harsh winters  Food scarcity Intense competition  Threat of predators

Life in the Yukon

 Early-life adversity can affect long-term survival

Young Squirrel Struggles

 Long-term field project studying red squirrels in the Yukon

Kluane Red Squirrel Project

 Red squirrels are a good model for studying human early-life development

Squirrels as Models

Every 3-7 years, squirrels' favorite food (spruce cones) becomes abundant

Food Boom

Superabundance of spruce cones

But there's a surprising twist…

Vulnerable to predators

Life in the Yukon is tough for young red squirrels

Early adversity reduces lifespan by 14%

ChallEarly adversity reduces lifespan

Studying squirrels can inform our understanding of human resilience

Resilience and Squirrels

Early challenges can shorten lifespan in humans and primates

Early-Life Adversity in Humans