LOS ANGELES, CA — A social media post about an injured squirrel sparked rescue discussions in the UCLA community on Reddit after a user reported that a squirrel had fallen and gotten injured between Royce Hall and Haines Hall on the morning of February 3.
The post generated an immediate reaction in the community, quickly becoming the most upvoted post of the day and leading one user to share the contact information for UCLA’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Nurit Katz, who coordinates wildlife rescues on campus.
The student who made the initial post stated that they called the number and were informed that a rescue effort was underway, “I called before I left and the lady said she was aware and trying to find someone.”
Meanwhile, other students discussed ways to help, with one user suggesting an effort to fund the squirrel’s surgery, “I say we pay for the surgery. Everyone, together, collectively.” By 1 p.m., another student reported that the squirrel was no longer there.
Katz provided an update on the situation in response to our inquiry, “Thank you so much. I was investigating rescue options and Animal Control responded to someone’s call and captured the squirrel. Depending on its condition it may be rehabilitated or unfortunately it could be euthanized if the injuries are too severe. Either way it is no longer suffering thankfully.”
Katz also stressed the importance of not handling injured wildlife without training, as they may carry diseases such as bird flu. She also urged students to never touch a bat, as rabies is fatal.
Katz shared a campus wildlife resource page for future reference and concluded by thanking the UCLA community for their concern.
