Posted on 01/02/2010 5:59:48 PM PST by PilotDave
Clemson University is fighting back against an invasion of squirrels on its South Carolina campus.
The Anderson Independent-Mail reports workers spent much of December trapping Eastern gray squirrels, catching and euthanizing the 200 rodents allowed under federal law.
The squirrels have caused problems in recent years, killing about 100 mature trees by chewing on the bark for food and making their territory. About 10 percent of the campus' trees have been damaged in some way, likely costing the school about $1 million in the past decade. Clemson officials tried a squirrel birth control program, but it didn't do enough to curb the population.
Biologists estimate the 800-acre campus has two to three times the normal population of squirrels per acre.
Thanks for the ping... much too much squirrel hate going on here.
“Squirrel birth control didn’t work? Whodathunk?”
They need more gay squirrels?
Putting them on can't be that easy either.
In one neighborhood I have visited often, there are about 6 feral cats that have been captured, neutered and released back into the neighborhood, where several people give them some food regularly. I have never seen a rat around there although they are in great supply 5 or 6 blocks away, nor a squirrel. Clemson should try that approach.
“My mother has a shotgun and a cast iron skillet. Mmmm Squirrel.”
I have a 70 foot tall 80 year old black walnut tree in my back yard. Your mother can hunt here all she wants. There are never fewer than 10 squirrels there at any time, ever!
One summer the neighbor kid and me went on a killing spree with the pellet rifles. Between us we dug several mass graves and planted well over 100 of them in the flower bed behind the deck. It made a slight difference for about a year.
Afterwards I planted some ferns there. I call them “Squirrel Ferns” to this day. 15 years later they still are doing very well.
squirrels are destructive pests with little means of population control other than cars. We kill them with the BB gun but there are ridiculous numbers of them. They destroy the entire tree full of pecans every year.
“...the 200 rodents allowed under federal law.”
The reach of the federal govt never ceases to amaze me.
We have Red-tails by us, if a squirrel or ‘monk shows up they don’t stay very long. These hawks are breeding like pigeons here and are not at all uncommon. They are pussy’s though when it comes to the crows and mockingbirds which chase them all over the place.
Mine is extremely accurate
Hysterical!!..great way to start the day....now I need some toons with Boris and Natasha..
I know. Plus mine have to make their way over 2 4 lane highways...
Note to Clemson: Spy squirrels don't grow on trees, ya know!
While sitting here eating breakfast, one of them just now got caught.....HeHeHe
The scientists at Clemson would get better results, increased funding, bigger trees and a better breed of squirrel if they could document (fudge) the increased squirrel population on Global Warming.
Or, they could import a starter squad of black squirrels from the Washington DC suburbs to drive out the natives.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/18/AR2005051802251.html
One down :) ! Now paint his toe nails and see if he returns. Lol
We used to have a neighbor who thought the "rats with tails" were cute. She fed them until they chewed through their kitchen window screens to get in. They would transport them miles away and back they would come!
If transporting be SURE to put a tarp under the cage in your vehicle. Just saying...
Good advice......
For what its worth, I made the mistake last week in leaving the trap set on the deck over night and I ended up with a possum in it.......
The damn thing was lucky it was so cold that a.m. (about 12 degrees) I just released him. Normally I would find a way to put them down.......
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