Abstract
After the American Revolution ended in the 1780s, the citizens of the new United States moved north of the Ohio River into the Northwest. As they established homes, they saw many gray, furry creatures known scientifically as sciurus carolinensis. It took little time for the farmers to discover that the gray squirrels were their new enemy. Instead of being cute little forest dwellers, the squirrels proved to be a danger to the newly transplanted farmers when the animals suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere appeared by the millions. The squirrels ate the freshly planted seeds, as well as the crops ready for harvest. As the animals passed through the Northwest in what became known as “squirrel movements” or “squirrel migrations,” the naturalists of the 18th and 19th centuries pondered the reasons for the mass movements of the creatures. Theories as to why the squirrels migrated ranged from the depletion of food sources to insect infestations of their nests to simple desires for new living spaces. The migrations made little sense to the humans in the Northwest but soon a war between the American farmers and the squirrels began over ownership of the western United States.
Recommended Citation
Ahmad, D. L. (2019). One Half Billion Strong They Came: Gray Squirrel Migrations in the American Old Northwest during the 19th Century.
Meeting Name
British Animal Studies Network Conference (2019: Nov. 22-23, Leeds, United Kingdom)
Department(s)
History and Political Science
Document Type
Presentation
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Publication Date
23 Nov 2019
