National Squirrel Appreciation Day 2023 – Blogs Year

Squirrel Appreciation Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on January 21st every year, created to raise awareness and appreciation for squirrels. It was first established by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove in 2001.

So Squirrel Appreciation Day 2023 will be on January 21st, 2023.

The day is typically marked by events and activities that focus on educating people about squirrels and their role in the ecosystem. It is also a day to celebrate these animals and appreciate the role they play in the environment. Some people might take this opportunity to feed the squirrels, learn more about them, or appreciate them in other ways.

Squirrels may generally be considered an unwanted annoyance, yet their presence benefits the ecosystem and, in cities, contributes to park attractiveness. While initially intending to hide nuts to eat later, squirrels unintentionally plant seeds that eventually sprout into trees, aiding in the rejuvenation of the forest. They’re the gardeners of nature!

In American cities, squirrels weren’t common until the middle of the 19th century. You would need to alter the landscape by adding parks and trees in order to have squirrels in the centre of cities. Additionally, you had to encourage people to start feeding the animals instead of shooting squirrels in order to alter how they acted.

Franklin Square in Philadelphia saw the first recorded introduction in 1847. A few years later, in 1850, Boston and New Haven followed suit and imported squirrels. When many squirrels either died or were destroyed in the 1860s due to worries that they would annoy birds and cause pest problems, the squirrel experiment was over. However, releases resumed in the 1870s, this time on a bigger scale when vast parks were constructed in important cities like New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and others, giving squirrels a welcoming place to dwell and grow.

Squirrel Appreciation Day Observances

Why is Squirrel Appreciation Day?

Squirrel Appreciation Day was created by Christy Hargrove, a wildlife rehabilitator, in 2001 as a way to raise awareness and appreciation for squirrels. The day is intended to educate people about the importance of squirrels in the ecosystem, and to promote conservation efforts to protect these animals.

Squirrels play an important role in many ecosystems, acting as seed dispersers and helping to maintain a balance in the forest and other habitats. They are also important prey for many predators and are an indicator of the health of their environment. However, despite their importance, squirrels are often viewed as pests by many people, and they are sometimes trapped, poisoned or killed as a result. Squirrel Appreciation Day is intended to change this perception and to help people understand the important role that squirrels play in the ecosystem.

The day is typically marked by events and activities that focus on educating people about squirrels, such as lectures, nature walks, and educational programs. It is also a day for people to appreciate these animals, whether by observing them in the wild, feeding them, or simply enjoying their presence in our lives.