April Fool’s: Black Squirrels to be Banished From Campus

The infamous black squirrel, seen all over Albion’s campus, will soon be replaced by its counterpart, the gray squirrel. Both squirrels are the same species of Eastern Gray Squirrels. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons.)

Albion College announced today that they will be moving forward on a plan to replace the infamous black squirrels seen around campus with gray squirrels.

The move comes after the administration discovered that the black squirrels have been eating too many of the acorns scattered on the Quad. Maintenance workers have been puzzled for months by the lack of acorns that need to be blown off sidewalks.

Acorns act as a food source for many animals in the environment. A lack of food can lead to detrimental effects on animal populations and their ecosystems.

The hope is that the gray squirrels will act in more environmentally friendly ways by following a stricter diet, although no research has been conducted to see if this move will work.

The gray squirrel will slowly be implemented into the ecosystem over the next three years. All of the black squirrels will be captured and released into the nearby Marshall ecosystem.

“It just made sense,” said the spokesperson. “The black squirrels just aren’t leaving acorns for others anymore.”

Both the gray and black squirrel are from the same species of Eastern Gray Squirrels. The black squirrel has evolved so that its fur can obtain heat to withstand the long, cold Michigan winters. Time will tell if the decision by administrators will be effective.

 

About Maclean Robertson 19 Articles
Maclean Robertson is a senior Communications Studies major from Zeeland, MI. Most of his time is spent staring at a line on the bottom of a pool. When he is not swimming, he enjoys traveling and watching endless hours of sports.

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