Wildlife on Campus

Natural Beauty at Carleton

Carleton loves to brag about its 800 acre Arboretum, but what’s so great about the Arb anyway? Is it the 15 miles of trails, groomed for cross country skiing in the winter? Or the hundreds of acres of restored native ecosystems? Maybe it’s the many native plant and animal species that call it home. Sure the Arb is beautiful, but I’m here to tell you that there’s plenty of natural beauty and diversity on campus proper too. While the Arb usually gets the spotlight, this week, I wanted to give a much deserved shoutout to some of the animals that call the rest of our campus home. 

The Lyman Lineup

The Lyman ‘Lakes’ are two ponds on campus that divide it in half. They’re also home to 2 islands which contain a fire pit, seating areas, and plenty of Carleton creatures. Our campus geese are a staple. As Carleton students return to campus in the spring, they are joined by hundreds of goslings. We are able to (mostly) coexist peacefully with them, although they may hiss if you get too close. While the geese may be the MVPs of the Lymans, there are also dozens of other creatures that call this part of our campus home. The toads are a particular favorite of mine, although turtles, fish, and beavers are also Lyman regulars. 

To the Skies!

Apart from our geese, there are plenty of other birds that call campus home. This year especially, I’ve seen a ton of cardinals across campus. The Carleton Birders Club takes advantage of our diverse bird populations with early morning bird watching expeditions!

The Lawnmowers

At the very end of Spring Term, Carleton brings sheep and goats onto campus in order to keep our grounds neatly trimmed. While these animals are here to get important work done, they don’t mind being occasionally bothered by their adoring fans (Carleton students). When their pens get set up around our grassier areas of campus, you know that summer is finally beginning to arrive!

The Squirrels…

Who it is that really runs Carleton’s campus? I’ll give you a hint. It isn’t the students or professors. It’s not even our upper level administration or the president of the college. It’s the squirrels. Carleton is home to hundreds, if not thousands of them. On any walk to class, or day spent out on the Bald Spot, you are going to see several dozen of them climbing in the trees or rooting around the grass. After nearly 160 years of operation, Carleton has truly learned to coexist with them. They are totally unbothered by the students. Not even bikes, skateboards, or scooters can faze them. As a bonus, there are also several albino squirrels on our campus that have become microcelebrities. They say that an albino squirrel sighting during finals week guarantees good grades!

What do the Carleton Foxes Say?

You may not expect it, but our campus is home to many foxes. In the summer, they venture further and further onto our empty campus, but they can be seen at all times of year. While they never get up close and personal with our students, spotting one from across the quad is always cause for celebration.

In Conclusion

You should know by now that, even though the Arb is beautiful, there’s still nature all around you even on campus proper. Whether it’s the geese and their goslings, the odd sighting of a campus fox, or one of our many squirrels, there is natural beauty all around for those who have eyes to see. At the end of the day, Carleton is home to plenty of strange and wondrous creatures, and the animals are cool too!