23°
While walking along the quad sometimes it seems like there are more squirrels then people. The squirrels on campus have no fear either; climbing into garbage cans and dumpsters looking for food and then jumping out in your face when you dispose of your trash. Wouldn’t life be better if there weren’t any squirrels on campus? Well, according to one myth the squirrels were not native to campus but were imported instead.
University President Andrew Sloan Draper, who served his term from 1894-1904, had a unique fondness for squirrels. According to Erik Buckland, recreation sports and tourism instructor, red and black squirrels were native to an area close by Urbana. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign News Bureau reports that the board of trustees approved President Draper’s unique request and allowed $250 for him to bring grey squirrels to campus. Next time a squirrel jumps out of a dumpster and scares you when you throw your trash away you have President Draper to thank for the overabundance of squirrels on campus, if he only knew.
Add your review: