That's really fascinating. We saw plenty of squirrels a few years ago when we took a homeschooling trip to D.C.

Artificial wildernesses fascinate me. I think parks are the most extreme manifestation of artificial wilderness. The great outdoors, carefully manicured and staged to best soothe the heart of savage and fearful urban dwellers. We can go outside, and not have to deal with any of the icky or truly alarming parts. It amuses me since I'm a camper/hiker/swim in the untreated river type, but I admit that I love the carefully planned artificial wildernesses too.