A high school student from Guelph, Ontario, has earned a spot in a national science fair after conducting an experiment based on her family’s interest in squirrels. Kira Egete, a 15-year-old student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, shared her excitement about the unexpected journey her project has taken since it began as a Grade 10 assignment.
Kira will be among 400 students participating in the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton later this month. She expressed her enthusiasm for the event, where students can win scholarships, meet peers with similar interests, and showcase their scientific endeavors. Kira’s project focused on studying how squirrels react to different colors, inspired by her family’s fondness for the animals since moving to Canada from Serbia in 2014.
Driven by her curiosity about squirrels’ vision, Kira investigated whether these animals perceive colors similarly to dogs, who have dichromatic vision. Contrary to her initial hypothesis based on dog vision studies, Kira discovered that squirrels showed a preference for red and yellow colors over cooler tones like blue and green in her controlled backyard experiment.
Using a methodical approach, Kira set up a series of color-coated pots in her backyard, monitored squirrel interactions with a GoPro camera, and analyzed their responses across multiple trials. The results challenged her assumptions and led her to believe that warm colors could play a role in attracting or repelling squirrels in practical scenarios, such as wildlife rehabilitation centers or bird feeder setups.
Kira’s dedication to her project shone through at her school’s science fair, where she was selected to advance to higher-level competitions before securing a spot at the national event. Alana Harrison, the school’s library technician overseeing the fair, commended Kira’s passion and initiative in exploring her interest in squirrels through scientific inquiry.
Beyond her scientific achievements, Kira is an active member of her school community, involved in charitable activities, robotics, track, and various other pursuits. While her future in STEM fields like engineering or medicine remains undecided, Kira’s current focus is on the upcoming science fair in Edmonton and her continued admiration for the creatures that initiated her scientific journey.