Meanwhile the squirrels are taking a census of the humans…
The Eastern gray squirrel is an integral part of Central Park’s ecosystem, but we know so little about these cute varmints. Well, some squirrel enthusiasts want that to change, and they’ve got the city’s support.
*squirrel JFK voice*
“Ask nut what NYC can do for you, but what you can do for NYC.”You can count SQUIRRELS in @CentralParkNYC. For real – no really, yes really – we need a squirrel census.
Sign up (and please count with your eyes not your hands): https://t.co/RNmvSmMelm
— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 2, 2018
The Census takes place from October 6 to October 20. Volunteers will be expected to spend two and a half hours per shift counting squirrels (you can do one shift or many). They’re going to need hundreds of people to participate, so learn more and sign up here!
The census was launched by a writer named Jamie Allen, who has conducted similar counts in Atlanta’s Inman Park. Allen, whose kickstarter for the Central Park project appears to have been unsuccessful, was able to get sponsors, including Mailchimp. Partners include NYU’s Department of Environmental Studies. He and his partners are hoping to learn more about the health of the ecosystem using the counts. Learn more about how the project started here.
For squirrel skeptics, this site details the difference between squirrels and rats.
Photo by Bernd Thaller.
About yer: “… this site details the difference between squirrels and rats.”
Dere iz a yoooge diffrunce!
Foist, dem squrlz gotz a fancy-shmancy tail dat dey wraps around demselves to keep warm. Datz cauz dey lives in da PARK! Dere NOT city peoplez! Dey iz like suburbinitez, wit all grass ‘n’ treez.
Us ratz is city people! We deal wit da subway, just like youse, and we hang in basements wich you 2-legs never cleenz up.
Squirlz has no shame. Dey sitz dere lookin cute till some 2-legs trows dem a peanut or sumpin. Us ratz never begz. We steal! We keep our dignity.
Deres a lot more but i just seen someone trow out a pizza cruzt. See ya!
I miss a novel @ England, which began @ the last red squirrel….Someone mentioned @ the white squirrels, not albino, in one of the Carolinas. Did the “N.Y. Times” have an article @ squirrel hunting ? Did the “Daily News” have a recipe @ cooking squirrel, w/the saying : You wanna eat me ?, ? A family, where I was abused,had a flying squirrel. Does one have a choice of pizza , or donut cum Squirrel dish ?
At last a reason to retire.