Freshman Mariea Umerah was biking back from class when she saw a moose and turtle playing Frisbee in Polk Place.
""It really made me smile hard"" she said.
Last week students masquerading as a moose, turtle, rabbit and squirrel roamed the campus just to make students smile, sponsored by the Carolina Union Activities Board.
The random acts of animal tomfoolery were part of Carolina Comedy Week.
But CUAB officials have been secretive about the program, refusing to comment on specifics because they didn't want to ruin the mystery.
The first rule about animal costumes is that you don't talk about animal costumes"" Mallory Cash, coordinator of the Carolina Comedy Festival, said in an e-mail.
Having an article about this would kill the fun and anonymity and be against the interests of the program"" Cash said in a phone interview.
The organization has used the costumes on and off during Comedy Week and to promote other events for the past six years, CUAB President Robert Gurdian said.
The costumes are ordered and funded by CUAB. And every time a need arises, they are shipped from Colorado, Gurdian said.
You can just walk around campus and be an animal" he said. We don't really ask questions when we give the costumes out" so we don't know what they do.""
But there are rules the costumed critters must follow. Students who tried to talk to the animals were disappointed to discover that they are not allowed to talk in costume or reveal their identities.
Even in a telephone interview" the CUAB member who dressed up as a moose refused to break character instead giving an animal backstory" employing a Kermit the Frog-like accent and asking to be referred to only as ""Moose.""
He said he enjoys being part of the Carolina campus because his only other human contact is with hikers because he lives in the woods.
Some students weren't sure what to think when the random creatures weren't holding signs to advertise or publicize an event.
Sophomore Cameron Taylor said she often sees unusual things at UNC and thought it might have been part of a social experiment.
""It's free expression. It's just kind of a normal thing here"" she said, noting that she saw a person dressed as a monkey riding a bike last year.
Jessie Nosworthy, a desk assistant at the Student Union, said she thought the animals broke up the day and brought a livelier mood to the Union.
We definitely wanted a picture with them"" she said.
Nosworthy said she saw the giant green turtle jump out and startle someone. Another costumed student delivered his girlfriend flowers on Valentine's Day, Gurdian said.
But the shenanigans aren't all fun and games for everyone.
Senior Sarah Buie has seen the animals around campus during her time at UNC but never enjoys it.
I have kind of an intense fear of mascots" she said. I'm not sure what these ones were for" but they scare the hell out of me.""
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