A high school student from Guelph, Ontario, is set to participate in a national science fair competition after turning her family’s interest in squirrels into a research project. Kira Egete, a 15-year-old student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, explained that what began as a Grade 10 assignment has now led her to the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Edmonton, where she will join 400 other students for a week of activities.
Kira expressed her excitement about the upcoming event, where students have the chance to win scholarships and awards while networking with peers who share their passion for science. Her project focused on investigating how squirrels perceive colors, inspired by her family’s love for the animals that grew when they moved to Canada in 2014.
Driven by her curiosity about the world through squirrels’ eyes, Kira discovered that these animals, like dogs, have dichromatic vision, meaning they struggle to differentiate certain colors. Contrary to her initial hypothesis based on dog vision studies, Kira found that squirrels were more attracted to red and yellow colors rather than cooler tones like blue and green.
To conduct her experiment, Kira transformed her backyard into a controlled testing area with pots of different colors, each containing a peanut. Through careful observation and analysis of squirrel behavior, she concluded that warmer colors seemed to appeal more to squirrels, suggesting practical applications in wildlife rehabilitation centers and other settings.
Kira’s project, which she entered in her school’s science fair, caught the attention of Alana Harrison, the school’s library technician, who commended Kira’s dedication and initiative. From the local fair to the regional competition and now the national stage, Kira’s scientific journey has been marked by success and recognition.
Apart from her scientific pursuits, Kira is known for her involvement in charity work, robotics, and sports at her school. While she is considering a future in STEM fields like engineering or medicine, for now, her focus is on the upcoming science fair in Edmonton and her enduring fascination with the adorable creatures that sparked her scientific exploration.