Wildlife sightings in Storrs

UConn has a population of approximately 13,000, but that’s just counting people. A number of other creatures, living in trees, underground, and sometimes right outside our dorms, call Storrs home.

UConn is the home of the huskies, although a much more appropriate title would be home of the squirrels, seeing as they appear to outnumber students. They can be found in any grassy quad or non-grassy quad, and for some reason on the roof of the math science building. Discarded food is rarely seen littered around campus, and I suppose we have them to thank for it. For the time being they are in hibernation, but are sure to return within the next few weeks. I actually wonder where they all go. There really aren’t that many trees on campus.

Another animal spotted frequently around campus are skunks, known to hang around Buckley, West and Wilbur Cross. Thankfully there are little to no stories of students being sprayed or any areas of campus being inhabitable due to smell. I guess constantly being surrounded by college students and their wild antics can make any animal fearless.

Any animal, that is, except for rabbits. Warrens have been dug near Mirror Lake, behind South and even near Homer Babbidge Library. They will occasionally show themselves, but will bolt if anybody comes within several yards of them. If anybody is looking to catch them and collect the cast of “Watership Down,” the best place to try would be near the greenhouses behind Torrey Life Science. The ample amount of vegetation practically makes it their Golden Corral.

This is Connecticut, which, of course, means there are deer. The local deer aren’t the typical rural deer that stick to the forest and panic whenever pitted against their arch nemesis the light bulb. UConn deer are unafraid to wander into parking lots or even right outside buildings if it’s late enough. Also opposite of the norm is a deer that runs away when one comes within close proximity of a person.

Foxes are very elusive animals, although they have been spotted around the edges of campus at night, looking to take advantage of the several thousand dinners available to them. A number of bird species can be found, and are the reason the two lakes are a health hazard. There haven’t been any bear sightings, hopefully it stays that way. Ironically, only one husky can be found on campus, and he is kept indoors as part of Alpha Phi Omega.