Squirrels have overrun some coastal cities and lost their fear of humans, officials say
Don't feed the squirrels! They've gone rogue! Mokey has warned us of this for years!
Ground squirrels are having their way across the San Diego County coast, despite the best efforts of city and state parks officials to reduce their numbers.
"I almost tripped over a few, and one tried to join me here at the picnic table," said Kevin Braasch, a visitor from Chicago who had just sat down near Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad after a two-mile jog from his hotel. "They sure are friendly creatures."
A little too friendly, most people would say. The squirrel population is booming at the beach, so much so that the animals have lost their fear of humans. They scamper right up to people, usually looking for a handout.
But don't feed the animals, the rangers caution.
Feeding the squirrels contributes to their overpopulation, especially in the spring when the animals breed, and then the bushy-tailed rodents stick around through the summer.
"The main problem is they get tons of food from people," said Darren Smith, a natural resources officer in the San Diego region of the state Department of Parks and Recreation.
"There is the culture of providing extra food for them, and that's what makes the population grow so much," he said.
Trash also provides many a meal for the animals, whether dropped accidentally, neglected on a table or left in an easily accessible container. And invasive species such as ice plant also can be food for them.
Too many squirrels become a nuisance. They quickly grow dependent on handouts, lose their fear of humans and boldly approach people, their picnic areas and coolers looking for food.
"They bother people," Smith said. "Sometimes, they bite people, and steal their Doritos."
Squirrels can carry fleas and some nasty diseases, including the plague in a few
rare cases. Their burrows and tunnels can riddle the dry hillsides, sometimes hastening erosion of the fragile bluffs.
Full story at site.
Don't feed the squirrels! They've gone rogue! Mokey has warned us of this for years!
Ground squirrels are having their way across the San Diego County coast, despite the best efforts of city and state parks officials to reduce their numbers.
"I almost tripped over a few, and one tried to join me here at the picnic table," said Kevin Braasch, a visitor from Chicago who had just sat down near Tamarack Avenue in Carlsbad after a two-mile jog from his hotel. "They sure are friendly creatures."
A little too friendly, most people would say. The squirrel population is booming at the beach, so much so that the animals have lost their fear of humans. They scamper right up to people, usually looking for a handout.
But don't feed the animals, the rangers caution.
Feeding the squirrels contributes to their overpopulation, especially in the spring when the animals breed, and then the bushy-tailed rodents stick around through the summer.
"The main problem is they get tons of food from people," said Darren Smith, a natural resources officer in the San Diego region of the state Department of Parks and Recreation.
"There is the culture of providing extra food for them, and that's what makes the population grow so much," he said.
Trash also provides many a meal for the animals, whether dropped accidentally, neglected on a table or left in an easily accessible container. And invasive species such as ice plant also can be food for them.
Too many squirrels become a nuisance. They quickly grow dependent on handouts, lose their fear of humans and boldly approach people, their picnic areas and coolers looking for food.
"They bother people," Smith said. "Sometimes, they bite people, and steal their Doritos."
Squirrels can carry fleas and some nasty diseases, including the plague in a few
rare cases. Their burrows and tunnels can riddle the dry hillsides, sometimes hastening erosion of the fragile bluffs.
Full story at site.
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