30 June 2011

A window on their Independence


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I could watch these juvenile squirrels forever. And how I wish I really could.
But juvenile squirrels, like infant squirrels, don’t respect the march of time. And why should they?
They deserve to grow up, be something more than cute critters in a cage that we watch for our delight and amusement.

Of course, if you click on this link and survive the one-minute commercial that leads to this fabulously candid webcam, you’re treated to a window on reality that Alan Funt’s old televised 1960s “Candid Camera” could never have envisioned: Young squirrels climbing, running on an exercise wheel, stealing food from one another’s mouths. Young squirrels grooming other young squirrels, completely oblivious to the fact that by the grace of human benefactors’ intervention, they are orphaned but nonetheless alive today.

(If you are unable to see the image and the link, clicking here will get you there instead.)

They obviously love being squirrels. And in their own way, they are celebrating. Caged or not, for now, they are happy with their lives. And that is enough for now, until the real world explodes into the kind of open space that makes every day Independence Day for the rest of their lives.

5 comments:

Linda Rasmussen said...

What kind of squirrels are these? I love the nest box!

squirrelmama said...

Linda, these are juvenile ground squirrels. I believe one of them (but only one) might be a western gray squirrel that the rehabbers added to the mix. Isn't that Octopus nestbox fantastic? Makes you want to crawl in there with them!

Anonymous said...

What a great find. Thanks for sharing. But of course, a squirrel eventually deserves to be out in the world and not behind cages.

Anonymous said...

This is so sweet. I work with the Southern Methodist University Feral Cat Program (we feed and care for the campus feral population), and lately we have been "caring for" a little group of baby possums (five-ish) that showed up at one of our feeding stations. I know they're not squirrels, but babies of almost any stripe are desperately cute. We are being guided by the local wildlife organization to nurture them till they're old enough to be adolescent possums on their own. Cats would normally be their predators, but our ferals accept these youngsters with little more more than a shrug. I wish I could share our wonderful pics.
Dallas

squirrelmama said...

Dallas, that has to be a very powerful, compelling experience - to see them interact gently with one another like that. I know it has been a brutally hot season in Texas and all the animals are seriously challenged right now. You are doing wonderful work!!