All Squirrels Must Die!

Subject: Hokie Hokie Squirrels!

While I myself am rather fond of squirrels, I thought those of you who hate them would enjoy a story of squirrel tragedy. I attended Virginia Tech, which has a particularly squirrel-rich campus. Outside of one of the dorms in upper quad (Major Bill, for those of you who are familiar with the campus) is a rather large maple that a large group of squirrels used to live in.

There was a huge thunderstorm in Blacksburg in 1988, and that tree was struck by lightening, and dozens of squirrels fell from the tree, dead. Many more lived through the strike and wandered around campus with newly hairless tails and/or missing toes and limbs, which apparently drastically reduced their charisma and led many students and faculty to decide that the squirrels were now vermin, rather than adorable tree-dwelling puppies.

I’m not sure what the greater truths behind the story are, apart from easily exposed naiveté of the love some folks have for fuzzy rodents, and the ability of squirrels to survive disaster.

— Amy in Blacksburg, Va.