Squirrelly harbinger?

kw: musings, animals

When West Nile virus came to the Northeast, it was first seen in lots of dead crows and similar birds. I wonder if a sudden dearth of squirrels has any sort of meaning.

Last year (and for many years) we had lots of squirrels, which were very busy all Fall burying acorns from our oak trees. Since winter ended, I haven't seen any squirrels, and I've been pulling up lots of little oak trees that are coming up all over my yard. Just today, while cutting the lawn, I pulled out or mowed over more than 100 tiny oaks from all over the yard, even 200 feet from the nearest oak tree.

Considering that most human diseases began or begin as zoonoses (animal diseases), this could be an omen. It isn't likely, I know, but it is strange. No squirrels for the first time since we moved here in 1995.