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Red squirrels carrying medieval strain of human leprosy as people warned to stay away
Telegraph (UK) ^
| 10 November 2016
| Sarah Knapton
Posted on 11/11/2016 8:16:02 PM PST by Lorianne
Red squirrels are carrying human leprosy and people have been warned to stay away from the animals to minimise the risk of catching the disease.
One of the strains which is affecting squirrels on Brownsea Island, off the south coast of Dorset shares close similarities with that responsible for outbreaks of the disease in medieval Europe.
Researchers tested 25 samples from red squirrels on the island and found that all were infected with the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae, though not all showed signs of the disease. Those that did had swelling and hair loss on the ears, muzzle and feet.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: brownseaisland; dorset; england; godsgravesglyphs; icantfeelmylegs; leprosy; medieval; middleages; mycobacteriumleprae; redsquirrels; squirrels; unitedkingdom
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Comment #1 Removed by Moderator
To: Lorianne
Shot a dozen of the American variety last weekend while deer hunting.
The Single Six with bird shot does a nice job.
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
My brother in law got licensed to have a silencer on his 22 pistol so he could sit in his backyard and shoot the little tree rats without bothering the neighbors.
3
posted on
11/11/2016 8:23:08 PM PST
by
Mercat
(Men never do evil so fully and cheerfully as when they do it out of conscience.” (Blaise Pascal))
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
4
posted on
11/11/2016 8:23:45 PM PST
by
dadfly
5
posted on
11/11/2016 8:29:45 PM PST
by
Big Red Badger
(UNSCANABLE in an IDIOCRACY!)
To: Lorianne
They also can castrate grays
6
posted on
11/11/2016 8:30:54 PM PST
by
headstamp 2
(Fear is the mind killer.)
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
I wish we has some squirrels.
7
posted on
11/11/2016 8:39:30 PM PST
by
Big Horn
(Rebuild the GOP to a conservative party)
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
Uhm, I thought you were referring to Hillary supporters?
8
posted on
11/11/2016 8:46:44 PM PST
by
KeyLargo
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
Did you make squirrel stew?
9
posted on
11/11/2016 8:58:51 PM PST
by
W.
(Scotch, neat... Again, please. I have the weekend off...)
To: Big Horn
I wish we has some squirrels.
I wish I could send you some of ours - they're all around my house. I also wish we had some hawks that liked to eat squirrels.
To: Mercat
Did he shoot them in his pajamas?
11
posted on
11/11/2016 10:33:51 PM PST
by
Ken H
(Best election ever!)
To: Ken H
They weren’t in his pajamas ...
12
posted on
11/11/2016 10:41:10 PM PST
by
Let's Roll
("You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality" -- Ayn Rand)
To: ButThreeLeftsDo
I have numerous pileated woodpeckers on my land. They are the most amazing, interesting and gregarious specious of birds.
One morning I heard a commotion. Red squirrels had invaded an abandoned pileated nest. I watched for almost two hours as the woodpecker methodologically terrorized the pair of squirrels. They would try to attack the bird by lashing out of the hole in the tree. The woodpecker would lean backwards in defense. When the squirrels tired, the pileated would double tap, triple tap, and gazillion tap them to the heads. I had coffee squirting out of my nose. I love those birds.
The squirrels finally disappeared. My Pileated was triumphant.
I searched on the relationship between them and found there was a natural animosity with the woodpecker normally winning out. Red squirrels are far more evil than their grey brethren.
The lessons learned were many. Pileated lay down the law with red squirrels. Pileated woodpeckers are a delight to watch and sociable too. This is a definite bucket list item for those who have become jaded and bored with life.
An Ottawa photographer caught one of those battles.
Squirrel, woodpecker airborne fight captured in photos
Oil seeds and 16"Ø or larger trees will attract Pileated and keep the disease ridden vermin away.
13
posted on
11/11/2016 11:16:08 PM PST
by
PA Engineer
(Liberate America from the Occupation Media. DEPLORABLE AND PROUD!)
To: Mercat; ButThreeLeftsDo
Please enlighten me. Why does one shoot squirrels, if not for the meat? Is it solely for the target-practice? Or are they, e.g., agricultural pests, as well?
Regards,
14
posted on
11/12/2016 12:29:57 AM PST
by
alexander_busek
(Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
To: PA Engineer
I love woodpeckers of all kinds. Great anecdote.
15
posted on
11/12/2016 12:30:39 AM PST
by
Fishtalk
(https://aschooloffishblog.wordpress.com/)
To: alexander_busek
I havent had a single pecan survive to ripeness in years because of squirrels. I dont like them
To: Smellin Salt
17
posted on
11/12/2016 12:52:01 AM PST
by
anton
To: Big Red Badger
Leprosy? I guess Moshiach’s coming real soon.
18
posted on
11/12/2016 2:23:50 AM PST
by
NetAddicted
(Just looking)
To: Mercat
smart, where does the slug go when it passes through the tree rat or he misses?
To: Ken H
No, they were wearing their own pajamas.
20
posted on
11/12/2016 5:32:01 AM PST
by
Mercat
(Men never do evil so fully and cheerfully as when they do it out of conscience.” (Blaise Pascal))
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