Juan Villa / The Collegian
Existing behind the scenes, almost undercover, but thriving in this busy urban environment known as Fresno State, lives another community. They come down from the trees and chase each other playfully across the many walkways and grassy knolls.
Like the students on campus, who are focused on getting to classes and furthering their education, Fresno State’s squirrel population are also focused on a goal, a task that compels them everyday –– the collection of food.
It is a very strenuous and exhausting task that takes up most of their day. They have to find and harbor nuts, seeds and fruit. Sometimes they must make a perilous journey into the human world if really desperate, and climb trash cans to rummage through mountains of waste to find something they can use.
If they can muster up enough courage, the squirrels will come and greet the many humans who often take them for granted. They turn on that natural squirrel charm in hopes of being tossed a small portion of food.
Ryan McCaughey, Fresno State grounds manager, said it’s the unbelievable charm or what he calls the “cuteness factorâ€Â that aids the squirrels in adjusting so well to the presence of humans.
“Their cuteness factor excuses them from a lot of the trouble they can cause,â€Â McCaughey said. “People give in and give them little pieces of what they have, contributing to their almost semi-domestication.â€Â
Juan Villa / The Collegian
McCaughey said what the human community often fail to realize is that these cute and charming little guys can be somewhat of a nuisance for him and his fellow workers at Fresno State̢۪s Plant Operations.
“Squirrels tend to chew through things, like irrigation lines or the plaques on the front of the memorials in the Peace Garden,â€Â said McCaughey.
According to the Squirrel Place website, www.squirrels.org, chewing is a major problem amongst the squirrel population nationwide.
Squirrels sometimes chew on various edible and inedible objects. This characteristic trait aids in maintaining sharp teeth, and because their teeth grow continuously, prevents over-growth.
Squirrels are often the cause of electricity outages. They have brought down the high-tech NASDAQ stock market twice and were responsible for a spate of power outages at the University of Alabama. They will often chew on tree branches to sharpen their teeth but cannot tell the difference between a tree branch and a live power line.
McCaughey said Plant Operations often covers irrigation lines with mulch to prevent damage.
He said that squirrels, despite some flaws, are not really that bad and actually contribute to the effort to keep the campus looking good.
“Squirrels are very tidy, and they often take a lot of the trash left behind by students, faculty and staff, essentially cleaning up the campus,â€Â said McCaughey.
McCaughey said birds are actually more of pest than the squirrels.
“You don’t see squirrel poop lying around everywhere,â€Â said McCaughey. “Plus we never receive any complaints about squirrels.â€Â
McCaughey said they often have to make sure squirrels don̢۪t get into the buildings around campus. He said they sometimes take advantage of a automatic door and sneak in when it opens.
“Squirrels are naturally curious, and they are always looking for more places to find food, and get materials to build their nestsâ€Â said Mc- Caughey.McCaughey said he is just as caught up in a squirrel’s cuteness as most people on campus are and admires a squirrel’s constant determination and hard work to thrive.
“It would seem as though a squirrel’s work is never done,â€Â McCaughey said.