Chicago’s excellent unique imprint, “Splatatouille,” has gotten a ton of play. This newfound interest comes after a fascinating study led by Dr. Michael Granatosky and his team at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Splatatouille took its peculiar name from an early public naming competition. First found on West Roscoe Street, it extremely likely began created several decades ago.
In early 2024, the imprint gained a new wave of popularity when a comedian shared a photograph of it on social media, prompting many to investigate its origins. City officials moved quickly to cool the buzz. Given the extent of the damage, they chose to remove Splatatouille later that same year in order to create a smooth surface for some pavement repairs.
Dr. Granatosky’s study, published in the journal Biology Letters, used as a starting point a checklist of the 37 mammal species living within Chicago. The research team’s primary interest was in figuring out what type of animal could have made the imprint. They eliminated species that were either too rare or did not exhibit characteristics aligned with those observed in Splatatouille. Ultimately, eight charismatic candidates graduated, including the brown rat, eastern grey squirrel, eastern chipmunk, and muskrat.
Dr. Granatosky was very optimistic about the conclusion that the research team came to.
“I think it’s an eastern grey squirrel. I think that is what the evidence most supports,” – Dr. Michael Granatosky.
The researchers used a range of scientific methods to determine how the imprint was formed. Mentioning the added complications from state lines and other factors, Dr. Granatosky highlighted how difficult such analyses are.
“When we step in mud, or concrete in this case, things spread out, things move, there are many different layers within the track, and so it’s a hard science,” – Dr. Michael Granatosky.
After much debate, the research team decided to use a new name for the specimen that is more indicative of its origin and findings.
“We therefore propose that the specimen be rechristened the ‘windy city sidewalk squirrel’ – a name more fitting of its likely origins and more aligned with the evidence at hand,” – The research team.
This deep dive into Splatatouille is just one example of how amazing the intersection between urban wildlife and citizen science can be. More than that, it raises collective consciousness to the value of animal tracks and their ancestral landscapes. As cities grow and undergo constant changes, artistic remnants such as Splatatouille serve as a reminder to residents of the encroaching natural world in contrast with human development.