STORY BY:

Jacob Floresca

PHOTOS BY:

Meritt Sallinger

DESIGN BY:

Axl Buchheit

Feeling Squirrely: The Quad Squirrels Remain A Noticeable Part of the UA Campus

They’re fast. They’re explosive. They’re unpredictable. Spring is underway, and with the change in weather comes a resurgence of the infamous squirrel population on The University of Alabama’s Quad. The pride of the quad, these squirrels came back swinging, simultaneously terrorizing and entrancing the students and staff at this fine university. While most of the school was out on break, the squirrels were getting busy and with students’ recent return to class, it would be best to reacquaint yourself with these furry friends so you know what to expect on your walk to class. 

For those who have been living under a rock during their time in Tuscaloosa, a quad squirrel is a small, gray, tree-dwelling mammal that takes primary residence on the quad. It can only be assumed that the squirrels have chosen the quad as their primary residence due to its abundance of large trees, lack of predators, and dedicated landscaping crew. 

A quad squirrel is remarkably similar to your average neighborhood squirrel, save a few key differences. First, quad squirrels are comfortable and unafraid of college students. They will not run away at the slightest hint of danger, making them much more entertaining than their suburban and forest-dwelling counterparts. 

 

“The squirrels are crazy because they don’t care about their own safety or dignity. Once a squirrel did a triple backflip two feet away from me only because I was standing in front of it and it didn’t know what to do,” UA junior Nolan Ward said. 

This spontaneous action is something that an unsuspecting bystander might see as unnatural or frightening, but something UA students see on their daily walk to class. Hence, spreading knowledge and awareness about these little creatures is the unexpected is key to living with these animals harmoniously. 

Quad squirrels can’t score touchdowns, they can’t hit a buzzer beater in March Madness, and they can’t march in formation while playing the school fight song, so UA students tend to forget about them. But they shouldn’t, and here’s why. 

One thing that the Quad squirrels do extremely well, is stick around. These squirrels have been on campus for longer than any living soul can remember, and they won’t be leaving us anytime soon. It’s a comforting notion to know that times may change, school executives may come and go, Saban may even retire: But the Quad squirrels will remain, as they always have. So appreciate these friendly, tree-dwelling neighbors and never take them for granted. In a world full of uncertainties, you can always count on a Quad squirrel to make you smile.