Hair Analysis as an Environmental Health Bioindicator: A Case Study Using Pelage of the California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus Beecheyi)

This study examined the use of hair elemental concentrations in the California Ground Squirrel (S. beecheyi) as an indicator of environmental health, analyzing 181 hair specimens for 35 elements. It found that some elements were more concentrated in the environment than in the squirrels' hair, while others, like Copper, Lead, and Zinc, bioaccumulated in the hair due to their long biological half-life. Although the squirrels generally did not show toxicological symptoms, some element levels exceeded the minimal risk level. This research provided baseline data for future studies and was the first large-scale investigation of hair analysis in a burrowing animal globally.