Assignment 2 - Final Squirrel Empathy Exercise
Group members : Panithan (Penny) and Cindy Li
Where are they?
They're usually way up in trees, at least 20 feet off the ground, close to the trunk or where two big branches come together, so it's nice and sturdy. Squirrels pick trees that are near their favorite snacks. The squirrel nests are structures that can be a foot or two wide and are usually located 20 feet or higher up a tree that provides good squirrel food, like an acorn-bearing oak. For stability, they’re built near the trunk or at the fork of two strong branches.
Created by 3D scaning Luma AI https://lumalabs.ai/capture/82A19EAF-BFA1-449A-AA58-D7E1FFE3A986
Fort Greene Park
This map shows the spot where I saw squirrels in Fort Greene Park. I love Fort Greene Park. Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn is a cool spot with lots of trees, history, and places to chill or play. It's like a squirrel paradise because it's full of oak trees that drop tons of acorns, which squirrels love to munch on. Plus, with all the trees and cozy spots, they've got plenty of places to hang out and make their homes.
Squirrel’s Behavior
Curious to see how they'd react, we decided to give the squirrels some raw pecans. I threw the nuts near a tree and just watched. The squirrels, always on the alert, kept their distance at first, sniffing around to catch the scent. They cautiously edged closer, a bit wary but curious, which was pretty cute to see. Once one brave little guy snagged a pecan, it didn't hang around. It zipped up a tree to munch on its find, all safe and sound.
Eat like a squirrel!
Cindy came up with the idea of eating like a squirrel. Participants will get a bottle packed with nuts, set up just for this challenge. The bottle's tiny opening is gonna make getting those nuts out a real task, just like how squirrels have to work hard to eat. We're doing this fast-paced to really get the feel of how squirrels are always in a rush to munch on their food
Eat like a squirrel!
Cindy came up with the idea of eating like a squirrel. We're giving participants a bottle full of nuts with a small opening to mimic how tough it is for squirrels to grab their food. The goal is to eat quickly, capturing the hustle squirrels go through daily, especially when under threat or competing for snacks.
Learning outcomes
Empathy Development: Get a sneak peek into what squirrels deal with every day. It's a cool way to start feeling more connected and kind towards squirrels and other critters out there.
Understanding of Squirrel Behavior: You'll also get the lowdown on what squirrels love to eat, how they fit into the big picture of nature, and the hurdles they jump over just to grab a bite. It's all about getting a taste of their world..
Appreciation for Wildlife Adaptations: how awesome and tough squirrels are, getting everyone to think more about how all creatures, big and small, find their own ways to survive and thrive, whether they're living in the city or out in the wild.