WHEN YOU
LOOK
Western Bluebird
Sciurus Niger: Seed-Spreading Superheroes
When you look at the Eastern Fox Squirrel, you see a pioneer.
Sciurus niger on display at the Orma J Smith Museum of Natural History
The Eastern Fox Squirrel, also known as Sciurus niger shermani, most commonly inhabits the east coast of the United States ranging from New England to Florida. They got their name from the red belly color that resembles a fox. In their basic habitat, the squirrels build open nests on the trunks of trees in savannah-like habitats with little human traffic. Adult fox squirrels are omnivores, however they favor available acorns and seeds to munch on (Moore 24 & 49). With these habitat and feeding characteristics, the common human action of chopping down trees actively displaces this species. Sciurus niger is fighting against warming climates by fostering tree growth in an attempt to save not only its species but everyone who cohabits their world.
The roots of deforestation span far back into the 19th century when British colonizers took control of the land now known as America. At the time, cotton was a delicacy, and plantation owners would remove any and all trees from their land to create space to grow cotton (Varanasi). This theme of destroying the environment for the sake of economic benefit has been following humans since the time of US colonization. Trees play a crucial role in maintaining the amount of carbon dioxide in the air because of the fact that they are the biggest photosynthetic organism and consequently consume the most carbon dioxide. Sciurus niger is a key organism in the spreading and harvesting of tree seeds, making their behavior crucial to reversing deforestation present today. The trees that the squirrels live in, such as oak and hickory, tend to have large seeds which do not easily scatter in the wind, making squirrels crucial to their lifespan. Without the physical scattering of seeds, these trees’ seeds would dry up and degrade on the forest floor (Hetzler).
My own image of an Eastern Fox Squirrel taken in Connecticut
Now that the injustices against this species and the importance of this squirrel have been established, how can we bring justice to this species? It starts on the individual and communal level by preventing the destruction of trees around us. It can also be applied on a larger scale to boycott companies that use deforestation as a means to acquire profit. Walmart, for example, is one of the many large corporations that had zero-deforestation goals set for the year 2020; however, they did not set specific measures to reach said goal. And when asked about this clear gap in logic, they responded that deforestation was “not an immediate business priority” (Lai). Every single day humans are consuming these brands that have no value or concern for our Earth and the species that inhabit it. Protecting trees and forests not only will allow for less carbon to be present in the atmosphere, but will give key species such as the Eastern Fox Squirrel a home where they can promote the wellbeing of the trees and forests.