Squirrels and Rabbits

I grew up in England, spending the first 18 years of my life in Wiltshire before heading to Harper Adams University, just north of Birmingham. Throughout those years—and still today—I have been fascinated by nature, particularly mammals. I sought out opportunities to see rare and unique species, whether by traveling to Brownsea Island to glimpse the elusive red squirrel or joining mammal society walks to survey brown hares. Yet, wherever I went, two animals were always present: grey squirrels and rabbits. 

 

They were common. They were everywhere. In gardens, teasing the dogs, or darting across roads. Grey squirrels and rabbits became background noise in the symphony of nature, so much so that I barely noticed them anymore. “Oh, just another squirrel,” I would think. 

 

Then, I moved to Sweden. I’ve lived in Uppsala for six years now, and here, the red squirrel—once a species I had to search for—is part of my daily life. Three of them live in the trees outside my cabin, and I know the exact spots in town where hares graze on the grass outside the museum or university buildings. The species I once sought after have become my neighbors, and yet, I haven’t grown indifferent to them. Even the smallest of the three red squirrels, whom I’ve affectionately named Squizzel, brings a smile to my face when I see her scampering across my veranda. 

 

In September 2024, I returned to the UK for a week to visit family and relax. To my surprise, I found myself eager to see grey squirrels and rabbits—the very species I had once overlooked! What was once ordinary had now become extraordinary in my eyes. I retraced my childhood walks, scouring fields and trees in search of these familiar creatures. And I found them. 

 

I watched grey squirrels scampering up trees, their mouths full of conkers—a very different sight from the mushrooms and pine cones my red neighbors collect in Sweden. I saw rabbits at the edge of a quiet churchyard, their white tails bobbing as they hopped away, much slower than the hares that dart across roads. These once “boring” animals were suddenly beautiful to me. Rediscovering them was an unexpected joy. 

 

Do we so often forget to appreciate the everyday? In our rush to seek the rare and exciting, do we overlook the beauty in what’s right in front of us? Grey squirrels, red squirrels, rabbits, and hares may be different species, each filling its own niche in the ecosystem, but they share the same spaces and face the same challenges in our changing world. Disease wipes out entire warrens of rabbits; hares fall victim to traffic every day; squirrels, regardless of their coat color, are hunted by a variety of predators. 

 

Perhaps I’m getting too reflective, but coming home reminded me to cherish the animals of my childhood—the grey squirrel and the rabbit. Now, back in Sweden, I watch the red squirrels preparing for autumn, and I hope I never again forget the quiet beauty of those once-forgotten species.