Do you have a story about a campus squirrel doing something strange? It seems like every Ole has a memorable encounter with a squirrel that they can recap in great detail. For me, it’s the time I saw a squirrel dig through a trash can and pull out an entire cage cookie. I also distinctly remember a time when my professor, sitting cross-legged on the quad, was run over by two squirrels chasing each other, making her spill her coffee. 

Squirrels here on the Hill are a part of our daily lives, even if we don’t notice them. Not only can they be amusing (or frightening depending on your perspective), but they are actually a rather charismatic species to learn about in the context of urban ecology and human-wildlife interactions. 

At St. Olaf you’re most likely to see the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Both species will nest inside tree cavities or at the tops of trees using leaves, twigs, and bark. However, gray squirrels are mainly the ones you see running around on the quad. Red squirrels are much more abundant in coniferous forests, whereas gray squirrels tend to be more common in deciduous forests. The trees on the quad are mostly deciduous (oak and maple) and make a great home for gray squirrels. They eat nuts and seeds from these trees, and actually have massive influences on forest regeneration because they bury more seeds than they end up eating. In addition to these two species, we also have the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) and potentially the undocumented northern and southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus and Glaucomys volans, respectively). 

Have you ever had a squirrel approach you while you were eating? Have you ever gotten really close to one? Campus squirrels provide some unique insight on behavioral adaptation in a human-dominated environment. Squirrels that live in heavily populated areas are often fed by people, and if not, they learn to associate people with food. They have adapted to exploit trash cans and people as a food source. There is therefore a benefit to living in highly populated areas with abundant food resources, but there is also a cost. Squirrels, like all species, naturally have physiological responses to stress. When they live in a highly trafficked area, they are exposed to a lot of stressors like students, bikes, cars and dogs. Living with such high levels of stress can threaten their immune system and reproductive health, so habituation to stressors is necessary. This is what leads to bolder, less natural behavior, like stealing bagels from unsuspecting Oles! 

Photo: Willa Stroschine ‘25

Whether you adore squirrels, have been inconvenienced by them, or don’t care for them altogether, take notice of the differences in behavior you might see between squirrels on the quad and those out farther in the Natural Lands. And remember, they call this place home too. 

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/graysquirrel.html

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/redsquirrel.html

https://i-csrs.com/squirrels-and-forest-regeneration

https://mndaily.com/268832/arts-entertainment/the-extraordinary-life-of-the-campus-squirrel/