The Bisons' Furry Friend
Campus life in a nutshell
There are more than 200 squirrel species around the world. The squirrels on campus are very friendly and interactive with students, as they've become used the everyday campus life. Squirrels love to eat almost anything, including Chick-fil-A fries, says Professor John Lewis. Where to find them on campus? You can find a family of squirrels in the trees by Allen Arena and especially by Bison Square. There are many stories about the agile rodents from students who pet them or fed them from their own hands. This is an animal you walk by every day and don't even notice most of the time, but they're there, and they love our campus.
"The squirrel that is most prevalent here in Middle Tennessee is the eastern gray squirrel, and they're everywhere. They have habituated to human development. So they're pretty flexible."
John Lewis is a Professor of Faith and Science and an associate Professor in the biology department here at Lipscomb. Professor Lewis you can say is somewhat of an expert when it comes to squirrels. He teaches several electives including zoology and limnology, which is a freshwater ecology course. After sitting down with Professor Lewis, I wanted to know more information about the squirrels on our campus and why they are so interactive with us students and faculty.
The Facts
Squirrels don't hibernate
Squirrels eat all different types of food but their main source of food is walnuts, pecans, almonds, acorns, and every nut you can think of.
A squirrel’s front teeth never stop growing.
They zigzag to escape predators.
"During the breeding season, which is in the Spring you'll start seeing more squirrels chasing each other."
Below is The Agile Rodent, a short documentary produced by Chandler Giles and Jayme Foltz.
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