Thanks to my more savvy friends on Facebook, it has come to my attention that yesterday (January 21) was “Squirrel Appreciation Day.” Who knew? How do people learn of these things anyway? Why on Earth would anyone proclaim a day for squirrels?
I guess when you are unemployed, things like “Talk Like a Pirate Day” and whatnot seem pretty trivial. Well, this year there is the massive earthquake in Haiti, too (and I’d really be surprised to find out there is an “earthquake appreciation day”). Come to think of it, the weather lately has not been friendly to many organisms, least of all squirrels that must have their acorns buried under several feet of snow in many places.
It turns out that we have Christy Hargrove, a wildlife rehabilitator in Asheville, North Carolina, to thank for this day of Sciuridae recognition. The inaugural tribute was in 2001.
The National Wildlife Federation was on top of the event this year, issuing a special message on their website. Humorist Dave Barry also commented on his blog.
Don’t get me wrong, I do find squirrels to be admirable, and certainly entertaining. They may be the only form of mammalian wildlife in our inner city parks, and their adaptability is a lesson to us humans, too, in learning to make the best of where we are. Hm-m-m, what would an unemployed squirrel do?
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