As published in the Hometown Spirit, January, 2007

In mid 1969 I became an Animal Control officer for the city of Upland.  I was born and raised in the Upland, Ontario [California] area.

Early on in my career I enjoyed observing the wildlife that abounded in the Upland area.  Bobcats and deer were in the area of 19th and Campus and around San Antonio Park at 24th and Mountain.  Pheasant, quail and tree squirrels in Memorial park, white tailed kites and red tailed hawk swooping down on field mice and pack rats at the stables across from the old animal shelter at 14th and Campus.  Golden eagles hunting rabbits near Cable Airport and coyotes in every corner of the city.

Over the years, the wildlife was slowly pushed out of their habitat as housing and population encroached on them.  First to disappear were the tree squirrels in Memorial park, the ground squirrels will always survive and be a bit of a pest but the tree squirrels seemed not to be able to cope with the encroachment.  Pheasants and quail then left the park leaving the park to ground squirrels, gophers and woodpeckers.

The coyotes continued to roam the entire city and every four or five years the newspaper or a TV station would investigate the rash of pets being killed by the coyotes.  

The 210 freeway was constructed and limited the access of deer to the northern side.  About five years ago, I was driving through Memorial park and noticed a squirrel bouncing through the rose garden.  I say bouncing because that is what drew my attention to it.  Ground squirrels don’t bounce; they scurry around on their bellies.  I watched the squirrel closely and was amazed to see it scamper up one of the large Oak trees.  A true tree squirrel, gray and fluffy, was back in the park decades after disappearing.  How it got there, I don’t know.  Maybe someone missed them in the park, trapped on and re-located it there.  Maybe it somehow managed to ‘hitchhike’ in a car or wandered the many miles from the nearest habitat that was frequented by tree squirrels.

I spent two years watching the squirrel bound and romp by itself around the park.  One day, as I entered the park, I saw two squirrels playing ‘tag’ around the playground area.  The next year there were six squirrels throughout the park.

I watched with a great deal of pleasure the antics of the group as they chased each other around the park, buried acorns, and took food out of the hands of picnickers.  People began once again to enjoy them.  Mothers would take their children by the hand and follow the critters around the park marveling and giggling at their activities.  

This year, the week before Christmas, I was walking my dogs through Olive Dale Park near 8th and Campus when one of them lunged at a tree and jerked me of my feet.  She planted both feet on the tree and looked up into the tree.  Following her gaze, I saw a Bushy tailed brownish squirrel looking down at us.   

What’s the big deal? With al the hustle and bustle of our lives, with all the encroachment of new housing, shopping malls and crazy traffic, one small part of nature has managed not only to survive but to reintroduce itself and flourish and seems to be spreading, bringing a little bit of enjoyment back into our lives.  

Next time you are in one of Upland’s parks, take a little time to relax and look around.  You never know what you may see.

Happy Holidays!