To a city kid, squirrels are a bit like pigeons, they tend to keep their distance from most people, coming just close enough to have a good look at a prospect of food. Certainly some homeowners may argue otherwise about their merits and behavior when they destroy roofs and property. Their abundant population around Chicago usually gives city kids the impression they are just part of the landscape, which may be too often be taken for granted.
Just by taking a closer look at squirrel behavior we can all learn a lot from these furry urban inhabitants. Project Squirrel, a two year old partnership of The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and the University of Illinois at Chicago, calls upon the ability of Chicago and suburban residents to analyze squirrel behavior around their neighborhood.
By completing a brief survey online about observed squirrel behavior and optionally posting stories and pictures of squirrel behavior, participants can help researchers gather data about Chicago's neighborhood ecology and perhaps learn a little more about the wildlife in their own backyards.
-photo credit, Project Squirrel
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