New bill seeks to oust gray squirrel as N.C. ‘state mammal’

Changing North Carolina’s official “state mammal” from the gray squirrel to the black bear is serious business…and it doesn’t seem like a fair fight. 

Most squirrels are fairly scrawny, while bears are big, magnificent creatures, in a lumbering sort of way. 

To bring you up to date, North Carolina adopted the gray squirrel as the state mammal in 1969.

 

The bill was introduced in the General Assembly by Rep. Basil Duke Barr of Ashe County, who conducted a survey of school children to determine a favorite. The squirrel was described as “courageous and thrifty,” positive characteristics to be admired by all North Carolinians. 

Rep. Barr told his fellow legislators that the gray squirrel is found in all 100 counties of the state. “During the autumn, squirrels bury their gathering of nuts in multiple locations as a food source for the winter. Not all of the nuts are found, so squirrels contribute to reforestation,” he said.

Now, in 2021, three state legislators dared to introduce House Bill 671, which seeks to remove the gray squirrel as state mammal, replacing it with the black bear. 

The sponsors of this legislation are Reps. Bobby Hanig of Powells Point, Edward Goodwin of Edenton and Jason Saine of Lincolnton. They have assembled a bipartisan collection of 13 co-sponsors. The bill was introduced April 27 and referred to the House Committee on Wildlife Resources.

H.B. 671 also pays tribute to the late Brandon Marshall of Hyde County. He died Jan. 24, 2021, in a hunting accident. Language in the bill commends Marshall for his respect of North Carolina’s black bears. 

He “sought to educate and enhance everyone’s knowledge of these amazing creatures, promoting safe and sustainable hunting practices for all.” 

Black bears are native to North Carolina, but human encroachment in the past century has reduced the bears’ habitat primarily to the western mountains and coastal region. 

Surely, the backers of H.B. 671 have honorable intentions, but gray squirrel supporters across the state are not going to roll over on this one. They will scratch, claw and gnaw in protest. 

The best course here is for a legislative compromise. Why can’t the measure be amended to enable North Carolina to have two official state mammals – a small one and a large one? 

One state that has done just that is Texas. 

In 1927, Texas selected the nine-banded armadillo as its state mammal. Here’s why: “The armadillo is a hardy, pioneering creature…and possesses many remarkable and unique traits, some of which parallel the attributes that distinguish a true Texan, such as a deep respect and need for the land, the ability to change and adapt and a fierce undying love for freedom.” 

In 1995, however, Texas legislators had a change of heart. They thought the longhorn steer might be more representative as the state mammal. 

“Its distinctive profile commands an immediate association with the State of Texas nationwide and is fittingly used as a visual symbol…from the Rio Grande Valley to the Panhandle,” said Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi. 

The Texas lawmakers approved Hunter’s resolution that read: “As proud and indomitable as the state from which they hail, both the longhorn and the armadillo serve as fitting symbols of Texas’ unique heritage…and Texas hereby designates the longhorn the official Large State Mammal and the armadillo the official Small State Mammal.” 

Should North Carolina do the same for its gray squirrels and black bears? 

We’re open for more debate on this subject.