The Real Squirrels of NYC

"The idea is that there is a kind of memory in nature. Each kind of thing has a collective memory. So, take a squirrel living in New York now. That squirrel is being influenced by all past squirrels."

~Rupert Sheldrake

The Squirrel Census

The Squirrel Census is a multimedia science, design, art, and storytelling project focusing on the Eastern gray (Sciurus carolinensis). Squirrels were counted and findings were presented to the public in the form of comprehensive maps, data visualizations, 45-RPM records, anthropomorphic storytelling, live presentations, semi-true videos, and other fun. 

In October 2018, with the help of hundreds of volunteers and key NYC entities, the population of squirrels was tallied in Central Park in New York, NY. (There are 2,373 grays in Central Park.) The following is an analysis of the data for a deeper understanding of squirrel behavior.

The squirrel census is both fun and a very real scientific endeavor that has generated a lot of data about the ecosystems of Central Park. The census takers are volunteers trained in the scientific method of counting species in an assigned hectare of land. Qualitative and quantitative data are collected each time a census taker spots a squirrel. The following information is an analysis of the data collected during the 2018 census. 3023 observations were conducted and compiled in a traditional quantitative presentation via spreadsheet. 809 stories were collected during this census season. To disaggregate both the qualitative and quantitative  data, Voyant Tools, Looker Studio, Google Sheets, and Google Maps were used. 


The following is an analysis of that data. We hope to paint a picture not just of how the squirrels of Central Park spend their time but dig a little deeper than the surface-level analysis provided by the census takers. By disaggregating the data collected, we found specific trends in squirrel behavior based on location, the weather, and their interaction with non-squirrel beings. 

Click on the pages below to further explore the life of squirrels.