Photo of fat squirrel roaming University of Michigan ignites social media jokes
A Michigan squirrel has become a social media celebrity after the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service shared its photo — and joked the rodent was a little on the heavy side.
The squirrel lives at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and has apparently fed too well on bad food tossed away by students.
“Fox squirrels are the largest squirrels in North America,” the Fish and Wildlife Service wrote Sunday on Facebook. “They typically weigh between 1 and 2 pounds, though this one might weigh a bit more than average!”
The photo has received more than 2,500 reactions, comments and shares in the past day, with some naming the undeniably cute critter “Sumo Squirrel.”
Many commenters have suggested the squirrel’s girth is symbolic of many quarantined Americans during the pandemic, while a few have expressed concern over the idea of seeing a squirrel that hungry following them home.
“In awe of the size of this lad,” a commenter wrote on Facebook.
“Squirrel obesity is obviously a serious issue in Michigan,” another said.
“This one has obviously hit the all-you-can-eat bird feeder too many times,” one man posted.
University of Michigan librarian Corey Seeman took the photo Dec. 11 in an open space on the central campus. He told McClatchy News he couldn’t help but notice “she was pretty big.”
Seeman is a squirrel devotee, with a Website called “Squirrelmans World,” and has a reputation for being “the University of Michigan squirrel-paparazzi.” Since 2008, he has taken more than 83,000 squirrel photos on campus.
“It is mating season now, so she was not likely pregnant nor nursing,” he told McClatchy News.
“For squirrels on campus, they benefit from the availability of food left by students. I have seen squirrels with cookies, pizza, churros, subs, doughnuts. They are creative eaters. ... I guess squirrels also can get the ‘Freshman 15’.”
The latter is a reference to the weight freshmen often gain during their first year of eating away from home.
Canceled classes due to the pandemic have meant fewer students on campus this school year, Seeman said. However, some people — himself included — are making special trips to the campus specifically to feed the squirrels. “I am cheap, so I bring peanuts. There is no bad food to a squirrel!” he says.
Seeman said he has enjoyed seeing the squirrel get attention via the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Facebook post, but has resisted making fat jokes of his own. He believes the squirrel “looks marvelous.”
“I spend far too much time thinking about squirrels,” Seeman said. “But they are simply a joy. And in 2020 and 2021 —I believe a bit more joy in our lives can’t be a bad thing.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 8:30 AM with the headline "Photo of fat squirrel roaming University of Michigan ignites social media jokes."