Squirrels.
I'm not kidding. Ask any tour guide. We lose time to members stopping to take pictures of the furry little things, sometimes we just lose the group altogether.
For residents of countries with no squirrels, I'll let it slide. For those from Georgia, you have them.
So what makes DC squirrels so spectactular?
First of all, we have a multi-ethnic squirrel populations: black, white and grey.
Ours are also not camera-shy and about 10 lbs. heavier than regular squirrels. These are tourist squirrels. I have see one, no lie, run up to a concession cart, steal a bag of peanut M&Ms and run away. How did he know they were peanuts?!
A Secret Service guard at the White House has trained a squirrel to climb his arm to snatch a treat off his shoulder. 'Cause they shouldn't be guarding the White House or anything like that.
They seem a little like pets, don't they? Well, in a way they are. East Coast grey squrriels are native to the area, but much like myself, residents had a penchant for wild game and most were hunted away. But what is a summer afternoon in a park without some squirrels. So we bought some. Our new little pets were released on the Mall, Capitol grounds and Lafayette Park in the early 1900s. We built them houses and water receptacles. I have yet to see a picture of the latter but I hope it looks like a hamster's water bottle.
Like any pet, we worried for their safety. Once realising that the large number of stray cats were wreaking havoc on our furry friends, in 1912, a public commission to establish a "cat police" was set up - but never formally organised.
We must feed our pets. In 1929, and who knows what other years, 2000lbs of peanuts were purchased and "distributed" throughout the Parks.
Our neighbours do not always enjoy our pets. In the 1950s under Eisenhower, a few of the Lafayette Park squirrels made their way into the White House garden, particularly where the putting green is. Commence "Operation Squirrel" - their name, not mine - to remove the intruders. So loud were the outcries from squirrel supporters that Operation Squirrel was cancelled after a few days.
Black Squirrels are no different from grey ones, except ... they are black. It may have taken mankind a while to realise this, but to squirrels it doesn't matter. Two grey squirrels can have a black squirrel - recessive gene, that's all. Despite this, there are myths that the National Zoo lost 18 Canadian black squirrels back in 1902 to start the uprising. It may have been that black squirrels were the norm in the States when the settlers moved here, because their darker colour blended well with the underbrush of the forest. People clear the land, black squirrels got eaten. In short, settlers came to a country where the native population (of squirrels) were of colour, and through the settlers efforts the black (squirrels) were displaced by the lighter colored (squirrels). Interesting. History, told through (squirrels).
Many places throughout the States claim to be special because of their black squirrel population - Alabama being one of them, I find that ironic.
We also have white squirrels here, though officially we do not have a colony. Because the White Squirrel Institute in Brevard, NC (who else would have a White Squirrel Institute?) says we don't. Or rather, doesn't say we do. Perhaps ours are albino?
So that is the history of our squirrels. Love them or hate them, we have an over-abundance. The largest concentration of squirrels ever recorded - in history - in any one location - ever - is Lafayette Park, right in front of the White House.... well, there are a lot of nuts around there!
I'm not kidding. Ask any tour guide. We lose time to members stopping to take pictures of the furry little things, sometimes we just lose the group altogether.
For residents of countries with no squirrels, I'll let it slide. For those from Georgia, you have them.
So what makes DC squirrels so spectactular?
First of all, we have a multi-ethnic squirrel populations: black, white and grey.
Ours are also not camera-shy and about 10 lbs. heavier than regular squirrels. These are tourist squirrels. I have see one, no lie, run up to a concession cart, steal a bag of peanut M&Ms and run away. How did he know they were peanuts?!
A Secret Service guard at the White House has trained a squirrel to climb his arm to snatch a treat off his shoulder. 'Cause they shouldn't be guarding the White House or anything like that.
They seem a little like pets, don't they? Well, in a way they are. East Coast grey squrriels are native to the area, but much like myself, residents had a penchant for wild game and most were hunted away. But what is a summer afternoon in a park without some squirrels. So we bought some. Our new little pets were released on the Mall, Capitol grounds and Lafayette Park in the early 1900s. We built them houses and water receptacles. I have yet to see a picture of the latter but I hope it looks like a hamster's water bottle.
Like any pet, we worried for their safety. Once realising that the large number of stray cats were wreaking havoc on our furry friends, in 1912, a public commission to establish a "cat police" was set up - but never formally organised.
We must feed our pets. In 1929, and who knows what other years, 2000lbs of peanuts were purchased and "distributed" throughout the Parks.
Our neighbours do not always enjoy our pets. In the 1950s under Eisenhower, a few of the Lafayette Park squirrels made their way into the White House garden, particularly where the putting green is. Commence "Operation Squirrel" - their name, not mine - to remove the intruders. So loud were the outcries from squirrel supporters that Operation Squirrel was cancelled after a few days.
Black Squirrels are no different from grey ones, except ... they are black. It may have taken mankind a while to realise this, but to squirrels it doesn't matter. Two grey squirrels can have a black squirrel - recessive gene, that's all. Despite this, there are myths that the National Zoo lost 18 Canadian black squirrels back in 1902 to start the uprising. It may have been that black squirrels were the norm in the States when the settlers moved here, because their darker colour blended well with the underbrush of the forest. People clear the land, black squirrels got eaten. In short, settlers came to a country where the native population (of squirrels) were of colour, and through the settlers efforts the black (squirrels) were displaced by the lighter colored (squirrels). Interesting. History, told through (squirrels).
Many places throughout the States claim to be special because of their black squirrel population - Alabama being one of them, I find that ironic.
We also have white squirrels here, though officially we do not have a colony. Because the White Squirrel Institute in Brevard, NC (who else would have a White Squirrel Institute?) says we don't. Or rather, doesn't say we do. Perhaps ours are albino?
So that is the history of our squirrels. Love them or hate them, we have an over-abundance. The largest concentration of squirrels ever recorded - in history - in any one location - ever - is Lafayette Park, right in front of the White House.... well, there are a lot of nuts around there!
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