Caltech Wildlife: Juvenile Panel Interviews
All photos courtesy of Jieyu Zheng.
As Commencement draws near, your nerdy wildlife columnist decided to explore a timely topic: what does “graduation” mean in the animal world? How do young creatures transition out of their juvenile phase—and what counts as “adulthood”?
This week, I interviewed five spring juveniles: a desert cottontail bunny, a Canada gosling, a young fox squirrel, a dark-eyed junco fledgling, and a female adolescent coyote. Below is an excerpt from our conversation.
JZ: Tell us a little about your experience as a juvenile this spring.
**Desert Cottontail Bunny (DCB): **When I first started roaming, I saw a lot of statues of my kind around Easter—especially near those red mushrooms with white dots. My parents told me those mushrooms aren’t edible, though. I think it was an adult warning.
**Canada Gosling (CG): **My siblings and I were born at Huntington Gardens. I haven’t been to Caltech yet, but my parents often say the ponds there are too small for younglings, so we are not missing out much. Still, as a San Marino native, Caltech feels like a safe choice for college.
**Young Fox Squirrel (YFS): **Honestly, spring doesn’t feel that special—my siblings are born year-round. But there’s always something to climb, chew, or chase!
**Dark-eyed Junco Fledgling (DJF): **We’re high-elevation birds, and my family used to only breed in Pasadena during winter. In the past decade, many of us juncos have adapted to city life year-round. For me, fledging into the Red Door courtyard was dazzling. There are always bread crumbs falling from the tables—but navigating through human legs takes real flying skills.
**Female Adolescent Coyote (FAC): **I was born last spring and stayed to help my parents during this year’s breeding season. We patrolled Caltech at night and scent-marked on poles—my parents say it’s our backyard, and we need to protect it.
JZ: What counts as “adulthood” for you? What’s your graduation moment?
**DCB: **Probably when I’m allowed to join the midnight parties at the undergraduate houses. My parents are nocturnal and always say young bunnies should go to bed early. I can’t wait to stay up grazing under the stars!
**DJF: **The first skill I learned was puffing up, chirping nonstop, and begging for food. These days, I try to scavenge for my own meals—mostly from Caltech dining halls. I think when you start sourcing lunch solo, that’s adulthood.
**FAC: **Coyotes don’t shy away from sex ed. One January night, my parents mated under the moon in front of Beckman Auditorium—just a proper ceremony for a wedding cake. I watched, of course. They tied (note from JZ: this refers to the canine copulatory tie formed from the mating pair) for half an hour, and no Caltech students noticed. Except you, I guess, filming it all with no shame! Now that the pups are born, I help fetch food. Once they’re old enough, I’ll leave to find a territory with other young singles—just like going to grad school. That’s when I’ll graduate from my adolescent duties.
JZ: What’s the hardest part about growing up?
**CG: **At first, people cooed over us when we waddled into the pond—“aww, so cute!” But that attention fades when our chirps gradually grow up to become honks. They would gaze at us angrily with “eww,” especially when they stepped in our poop. Hey, at least we eat only grass—our droppings aren’t that bad.
**YFS: **Learning what is climbable is tough! I once tried scaling the wall of Baxter. My paws are barbed forward, so climbing down was a nightmare. I froze, terrified, but my mum cheered me on. (Dad was nowhere to be found; male squirrels never take care of their family.) Eventually, I turned around and made it. Adult squirrels must master the art of climbing, jumping, and cracking “squirrel-proof” bird feeders. It’s a full curriculum.
JZ: Any advice for Caltech students who graduate this season?
**DCB: *Always **keep your ears up and listen to what others have to say. *
**CG: **Be a fierce version of yourself when you go out into the world. That’s what my parents always say. Don’t worry about being liked—just honk with purpose.
**YFS: **You’ll fall. A lot. But every branch you slip from teaches you where to land next.
**DJF: **Go to seminars for free food. Everyone scavenges in grad school these days.
**FAC: ***Learn from your pack, but don’t be afraid to leave when your time comes. Oh, and learning how to jaywalk is useful in California. *