HWS News
22 September 2025 • Faculty • Research Cosentino Featured in Audubon Magazine on the Importance of Squirrels
Audubon Magazine shares Cosentino’s insights on squirrel evolution and adaptability.
Professor of Biology Brad Cosentino was recently featured in Audubon Magazine’s Fall 2025 issue in an article titled “Why Squirrels Deserve Your Respect (If Not Your Birdseed).” The piece explores the ecological value of squirrels, highlighting their crucial role in forest regeneration and adaptation to environmental change.
In the article, Cosentino says, “They are remarkable for how successful they are in places that are undergoing massive environmental change.”
The article also notes his work to understand how cities cause wildlife to evolve, including the “Squirrel Mapper” citizen science program he directs, which has analyzed tens of thousands of squirrel photos submitted by the public. “I just think it’s cool that such an abundant creature that almost everybody in the United States is familiar with has a really interesting story about evolution going on right in their backyard.”
At HWS since 2012, Cosentino’s research bridges ecology and evolution, with an emphasis on how wildlife responds to environmental change. His work on urban evolution is funded in part by the National Science Foundation.
