Students, researchers, and families gathered for an event held at UW’s Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center to celebrate “Squirrel Day.” This free public outreach event was designed to change how people see one of Wyoming’s most common animals, revealing them as the truly vital players in the ecosystems around the world that they truly are.
The event blended hands-on learning activities, research presentations, and interactive booths for all ages, to show the ecological importance and global diversity of squirrels. Organized by graduate students Lindsey Mitchell and Lauren Wetterau from Dr. John Koprowski’s lab, the event also fulfilled a community outreach component tied to grants they have received. For them, this was an opportunity they used to create what they described as something “even cooler” together.
“I study red squirrels in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem because they are larder hoarders, which means that they store all of their cones in one spot within their territory because they’re super territorial and they like to defend what they’ve gotten,” Wetterau says. “And then Lindsey studies lots of different squirrel species in Sumatra and Borneo, so an island in Malaysia. And because we both study squirrels, we thought it would be a really great idea to make an event that just appreciates squirrels and kind of explains all of the cool things about them and reasons why they’re so important.”
Throughout the event, attendees were invited to engage directly with everything presented at each booth.
One popular station allowed attendees to simulate trapping and collaring squirrels, showing how researchers track movement and gather data in the field on animals’ health and behavior. Another station, “Squirrels of the World,” was run by Grace Peters, also a student at the university, who challenged attendees to match squirrel species to their habitats and diets, revealing surprising information.
One fact noted is that the Siberian chipmunk tends to eat snails and even small birds. Nearby, another station held a midden-building activity that showed how squirrels create piles of pinecones and their scales, which go on to serve as critical food sources for other animals in the ecosystem.
“We wanted to bring to the public that squirrels are super cool,” Mitchell said. “But there’s also a ton of other species that a lot of people don’t know about that have really important roles in forest regeneration and seed dispersal. And even though they’re super small and we see them everywhere, they’re super important to the ecosystems.”
In Wyoming, squirrels play a major role in seed dispersal, helping forests regenerate and maintain its biodiversity. By spreading seeds, they contribute to the growth of new trees and a more diverse landscape overall.
They also serve as prey for birds of prey and small carnivores, placing them on both sides of the food web. Beyond that, squirrels act as “ecosystem engineers,” creating structures like middens, which are piles of pine cone debris, that other animals, including bears and deer mice, rely on for food and shelter.
Wetterau’s research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem focuses on red squirrels, which are known for their territorial behavior and food storage habits. These squirrels gather and store conifer cones in centralized locations, forming middens that benefit entire ecosystems.
“That’s a good thing, that they’re everywhere,” Wetterau said. “They’re needed, and they do so much good.”
The event also presented the global diversity of squirrels. While many attendees are familiar with local species, the presentations introduced squirrels from Southeast Asia, including the tiny Bornean pygmy squirrel and the pale giant squirrel. These species, some of which remain understudied, highlight how much there is still to learn about wildlife.
“We don’t know everything,” Mitchell explained. “And that’s part of what makes science exciting.”
For volunteers like Grace Peters, the goal was ultimately to help people see squirrels differently. At her station, she encouraged visitors to think of squirrels as “unsung heroes” of the ecosystem.
“People get used to seeing them,” Peters said. “But when you learn what they actually do, it changes your perspective.”
That shift in perspective was especially important for younger attendees, as organizers hoped that the children would leave the event with new knowledge and a new curiosity about science and biodiversity. By taking part in activities like tracking simulations and species matching, the children were introduced to the idea that science can take many forms, even when studying animals as familiar as squirrels.
“I didn’t think I’d be working in a research lab,” Peters said. “And now I’ve been doing it for two years. There are opportunities everywhere.”
The event also brought together multiple campus partners, including the UW Geological Museum, the Museum of Vertebrates, and the Art Museum, which provided specimens and exhibits to showcase the range and history of the squirrel species. From fossilized remains that are estimated to be around twelve thousand years old to complex taxidermy displays, these contributions helped place squirrels in a broader scientific and historical context.
For many of the organizers, the event reflected a personal journey. Wetterau noted that before beginning her master’s program, she had rarely thought about squirrels. Now, after years of research, she sees them as essential contributors to the environment.
“I want people to think about squirrels as wildlife that contribute to their communities,” she said, “not just something annoying on the sidewalk.”
As the event wrapped up, children left with crafts, students with new insights, and researchers with the satisfaction of sharing their work. An event that started as a simple outreach requirement grew into an effort to recognize the significance of the often-ignored animal, and in the end, the mission was completed.
On a campus where squirrels are often overlooked, the event helped open the eyes of many that sometimes, even the smallest creatures have the biggest impacts.
