Charles Pachter’s new sculpture, Mooseconstrue, has been officially unveiled at the corner of Harbord and St. George Streets. Along with its partner, a metal moose called Moosedemeanour in the Graduate House quad, it is a fine representative of the moose species at Canada’s largest university.

But when you think about it, is the moose really worthy of being honoured by two sculptures at U of T? While the moose is found throughout Canada and is generally a symbol of our northern identity, it isn’t really common around Toronto. That is, unless you count the dozens of hideous fibreglass moose, painted with gaudy designs, that Toronto’s Mayor, Mel Lastman, littered the city with to use as a tourist trap in a temporary street-art exhibit.

Some of Mel’s moose look like they will actually outlive the embattled mayor; the McGregor sock store on Spadina Avenue still has its moose—dressed, ridiculously, in socks and plaid. Real-live moose must be embarrassed. When wading in lakes, searching for choice water-lilies to eat, the moose would never mix plaids and stripes like its fibreglass imitation outside the sock factory.

There must be an animal that is more representative of U of T’s natural environment. After all, when’s the last time you saw a moose in Diabolos, or waiting to talk to a prof in Sid Smith?

A better choice would be the squirrel. U of T is infested with them, running up and down trees in preparation for their winter nap. Isn’t the squirrel a more representative animal for U of T’s hard-working population? The squirrel collects its nuts with more diligence than most students can muster for their classwork. And the squirrel is also a thoroughly urban animal. It’s street-smart—if it wants to avoid being run over by cars.

The raccoon is another animal that frequents U of T’s campuses. King of the urban jungle, it can be seen ripping open garbage cans on many of the streets where U of T students live. Fearless, efficient and clever, the raccoon is nature’s own garbageman—a living lesson in recycling.

Sadly, while we recognize the moose, U of T students ignore the many statues and memorials to people that populate our campus. The elegant war memorial looking out over Queen’s Park Crescent is fenced off for construction of the new Sigmund Samuel addition. What war does it even commemorate?

Do we really need all these moose on campus? And while we’re on the subject, shouldn’t the plural of moose be meese? It makes sense, like mouse and mice. Whoever is in charge of the English language should make the appropriate change and credit The Varsity.

The point is: surely if this campus needs more statues, they should mark events in Canada’s history, rather than celebrate an animal—even one as noble as the moose.