Claim to Fame
Jason Colman, “Columnist misunderstands role, benefits of Squirrel Club” • Thu Apr 14 2005
Jason Colman, Duke of the Squirrel Club, refutes Sam Singer’s opinion editorial (published in The Michigan Daily) about the club’s negative effects.
Older NewerSam Singer’s article about the Squirrel Club (Squirrel Huggers, 04/12/05) is thoroughly inaccurate. The first problem with his article is its numbers: He says that our meetings average 50 attendants, which they do perhaps twice a year, but more normally about 10–15 people attend (and perhaps five in cold weather). This is nothing near the roving band of 50 squirrel-feeding students Singer portrays.
Numbers aside, the article misunderstands the University ecosystem and our club’s purposes. All animals adapt to their surroundings when finding food. The squirrels on campus are dependent on student garbage for food — who hasn’t seen a squirrel rooting around a dumpster or trash can? Singer’s point that squirrels fed by humans are in danger of lacking food during the winter is unfounded, as trash is never absent from campus. However, the Squirrel Club does not like to see squirrels eating trash, and we instead supply the squirrels with a healthier alternative — unsalted peanuts and sunflower seeds. Our efforts do not impact the squirrels’ ability to survive: their well-nourished nature is shown by the much larger-than-average size of squirrels on campus.
In a further effort for squirrel welfare, we deal with a significant number of injured squirrels every year, forwarding them on to the properly trained animal-rescue staff. Additionally, club members are currently involved in an effort to combat the epidemic of squirrel mange on campus, which is a skin disease treatable with antibiotics. Singer asks the club to “think of the squirrels.” We do so now and will continue to.
