Home > Metro

Nutty campus vandals get squirrelly

James Kruger
jkruger1@mscd.edu

Vandals that snuck into two parked cars and damaged wiring were found hiding all around campus: in trees, bushes, even on sidewalks where they beg for food.

Suspects were apprehended and placed in cages, but it’s impossible to discern which was responsible for the damage due to their large numbers and…bushy tails.

Squirrels have long been a problem at Auraria, continuously damaging buildings and trees, but the damage to vehicles sounded an alarm to the Facilities Management Division.

“When they start doing damage to cars, that’s an indication that there’s too many of them,” Facilities Management Division Director James Fraser said.

People complained of the damage, which drew the attention of Dean Wolf, executive vice president of administration of Auraria Higher Education Center, who then asked Facilities Management to do something about it.

Humanely relocating some squirrels and finding them a place where their survival wouldn’t be compromised became Facilities Management’s goal in dealing with the problem.

“I don’t take any pleasure in relocating them,” Facilities Management Department Manager Craig Bisgard said. “We make darn sure they’re going to be OK.”

In all, 22 squirrels were caged last month around the southeastern parking lot M, where the damage occurred. Workers used live traps manufactured by the appropriately named Havahart Company, and the animals were then taken to an undisclosed, off-campus location.

Fraser said he believes the cause for the animals’ strange behavior could be the removal of trees in the area and the absence during the holiday break of their primary food source: food dropped by students, faculty and staff.

It is that dependence on food from humans that Facilities Management hopes to put an end to, in an effort to protect the animals.

“That is the worst thing people can do for the squirrels — it’s just not a good idea,” Bisgard said.

Signs have been put up telling people not to feed the animals, but many continue to do so, finding the creatures’ friendly, tamed presence cute.

“They know how to beg,” said Patricia Tucker, professor of computer science at Metro, who feeds the squirrels. “I like to feed animals.”

The trapping of squirrels stopped last month, but Fraser said there may be a need to control Auraria’s squirrel population in the future if it gets out of hand again.

“We’re just trying to create an environment where we can all live together — us and the wildlife,” he said.