To the Editor:

As the referenced friend whose pumpkin was devoured by a squirrel last Halloween, I feel compelled and qualified to respond to Brian Thompson’s recent column (“Gray squirrels went, saw, conquered England” 10/10).

There’s something squirrelly about Thompson’s claim that “the squirrel market will find its own equilibrium.” Our fedora-wearing friend forgets to take into account the negative externalities that might result from a threat to biodiversity. The English aren’t just trying to preserve the red squirrel for their cuteness, but because the loss of more red squirrels could lead to further disruptions in their ecosystem. We shouldn’t trust the “squirrel market” to produce the outcome that is best for our environment.

Edward Dernehl Dunar

Oct. 11

Dunar is a senior in Branford College.