The Squirrel Did What Now? A Love Letter to the Misunderstood Mascots of Urban Nature
Squirrels once vanished from cities—then we brought them back to “remind” us of nature. Here’s why we should never forget them again.
My husband calls them freeloaders. I call them fuzzy little urban legends. We’ve got a running feud in our backyard over the bird feeders—which, in my opinion, double perfectly well as squirrel feeders. He once installed a camera birdhouse. Guess who moved in? Squirrels. Guess who was delighted? (Me.) Have you seen baby squirrels? So cute!
Squirrels have long been the chaos gremlins of suburban lore—pillagers of seed, chewers of wires, hoarders of who-knows-what in the attic. But what if I told you they were once purposefully reintroduced to New York City… not as pests, but as heroes?
Yup. Let’s talk about how squirrels went from urban outlaws to moral educators, why they’ve always been low-key rewilding champions, and what their story says about how we design spaces for both humans and nature.
From Eradicated to Entertaining: A Very Squirrelly History
By the 1840s, industrialization had done a number on city wildlife. Forests were cleared, green spaces shrank, and the eastern gray squirrel? Pretty much gone from U.S. cities. But in a twist that feels almost poetic, city planners in the mid-1800s decided to bring them back—not for science, but for the vibes.
In parks from Philly to Boston to New York’s just-built Central Park, squirrels were reintroduced as gentle reminders of a world beyond soot and smokestacks. Reformers thought seeing wildlife could boost moral character. Children were encouraged to feed them. People wrote letters to newspapers about how charming they were. Imagine that. (And, trust me, they really are charming.)
Nature as a Moral Compass
The reintroduction of squirrels into urban parks was not merely for aesthetic pleasure. Reformers believed that exposure to nature had moral and educational benefits. Observing and feeding squirrels was viewed as a wholesome activity that could instill virtues such as kindness and responsibility in both children and adults. This perspective was rooted in the belief that nature could serve as a counterbalance to the moral pitfalls of urban life.
However, this idealistic view faced challenges. As the squirrel population grew, concerns arose about their impact on park vegetation and the potential for human-wildlife conflicts. Despite these issues, squirrels remained a fixture in urban parks, symbolizing a successful integration of nature into city life.
Other Creatures, Same Story
Squirrels weren’t the only animals reintroduced to urban settings to reconnect people with nature. In 1864, New York’s Central Park saw the introduction of Java sparrows, house sparrows, chaffinches, and blackbirds. These efforts aimed to enrich the urban environment and remind city dwellers of the natural world.
Rethinking Urban Wildlife
While squirrels were once reintroduced to “remind us of nature,” they now remind us of something else: how easily we forget to plan with nature instead of against it. Instead of building cities and then wedging in green space, what if we designed with shared habitats in mind from the start?
Modern rewilding projects—like green roofs, pollinator corridors, and wildlife crossings—echo the same idea. Make space for the wild things. They’ll show up.
Unsung Heroes of the Forest (and the Suburbs)
Yes, squirrels eat your birdseed. They also:
•Accidentally reforest entire areas by forgetting where they buried nuts.
•Aerate soil and boost forest health through their digging habits.
•Support urban ecosystems as prey for raptors and scavengers. (Sorry squirrels.)
•Teach your kids (and you) how to sit still and observe.
They’re scrappy little engineers, foragers, and survivors. And they’re not villains—they’re just really good at being squirrels.
Confession: I’m a Squirrel Sympathizer
I’ll admit it. I root for the underdog. Especially the kind with twitchy tails and no sense of personal space. Are squirrels chaotic? Sure. But they’re also a reminder that the line between “wild” and “urban” is more flexible than we think. If you are a regular reader, you likely know that I have been adventuring in squirrel rehabilitation. It has taught me a lot about these sweet creatures who have their own personalities and the squirrelly behaviors that benefit the wider world.
We reintroduced squirrels once to bring nature back into our daily lives. The real question is: what else are we willing to make room for before it’s too late?
Never Again Should Be Now
Reintroduction is a last resort. It’s a way of saying: we messed up, but we’re trying. Squirrels remind us that it’s possible to come back from the brink—but wouldn’t it be better not to hit the brink in the first place?
So, next time a squirrel tightrope-walks your power line or thwarts your best anti-squirrel feeder, maybe—just maybe—you should offer a silent thanks. They’ve been through a lot, they’re still here, and they are largely responsible for some of the magical places we love most.
