Eastern Grey Squirrel, the new terror.

[Queen K]

Stop the Presses!

Kelowna has a new terror!

Is it Canadian Geese? So 2007.

Bunnies on Enterprise? So 2008.

Radio Controlled model airplanes? So Lake Country.

NO, it's the Eastern Gray Squirrel here to tear up natural habitats, threaten native species and eat up local food. OMIGOD, the developers have competition! Don't developers do all those things? The take natural habitats and make them unusable for native flora and fauna.

Nevermind, the Eastern Grey Squirrel was declared, "public enemy number ONE" today on the front page of the Daily Courier.

Time for Squirrel Pie to be in vogue.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/front ... lowna.html

[GordonH]

[grammafreddy]

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/front ... lowna.html

Eastern grey squirrel invades Kelowna
Thursday, 15 March 2012 02:00 Ron Seymour


The Eastern grey squirrel is starting to spread in Kelowna. Researchers say the species will cause damage to crops and homes.

There's something squirrelly with Kelowna, and it could mean big problems for wildlife, plants, and buildings.
An influx of Eastern grey squirrels, considered one of the most invasive and damaging animal species, has been reported in the city.

In other regions where Eastern grey squirrel populations have been established, native squirrel populations have been decimated, agriculture has been affected and buildings have been damaged by nesting.
A team of university researchers has now created a website and hotline for Kelowna residents to report sightings of Eastern grey squirrels.

"It is essential that we find out how many of these animals are living in the Okanagan already if we stand a chance to deal with the potential problem," said Karl Larsen, a wildlife and ecology professor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.
Eastern grey squirrels are native to eastern North America, but were introduced to the western half of the continent beginning in the 1980s. Significant numbers of them now live at the Coast, but it's only been the last couple of years that the squirrels have been seen in Kelowna.

"What makes these squirrels so capable of spreading into new environments is that they are really good at living with people," Larsen said. "If given a chance, they will spread like wildfire."

In eastern North America, the grey squirrels' natural habitat is the vast stands of hardwood forests. But they are not well-suited to living in the spruce and pine forests on the western half of the continent so they wind up in many urban areas, often nesting in roofs.

They are not territorial, so their populations tend to increase significantly once they have outcompeted the red squirrels for food.

"Some people might say, 'What's the big deal? We're just exchanging one kind of squirrel for another," Larsen said. "But we'll have a lot more problems in terms of damage to crops and buildings with grey squirrels."

Eastern grey squirrels are about twice the size of native red squirrels. They have longer, bushier tails, and, despite the name, can also be entirely black or white in colour.

To report an Eastern grey squirrel sightings, see introsquirrel.ca or call toll-free 1-855-468-7077.

Since the website was launched two weeks ago, it has received about 100 reports, according to Jessica Gosling, a post-graduate student helping with the project.

"But we expect those numbers to really increase once get more publicity with this," she said.

***************************************************************

Oops!

March 26, 2010 ...

Do ya suppose that's one of them?

[Queen K]

Looks like a dangerous fugitive to me.

http://www.bowhunting.net/susieq/squirrel.html

Git 'im.

[Queen K]

Not for the faint of heart:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ction.html

[DaveC]

Ok honestly? They're a HUGE pain if they decide to make thier home in or near yours. Very tough to get rid of even a single family.
If they were just going to live in the hills and be an extra food source for the cougars etc then I wouldn't care, but since they will live in town and draw the predators into the area it may be unpleasant. The coyotes will love these little critters, but in order for the coyotes and cougars to help keep them in check, they'll be here in town too. But they're pretty hard ot catch even for a coyote.

IMHO the biggest problem with them is that they will terrorize birds and kill them if they can. We will lose some birds entirely if they become established.

[Buckeye19]

Time to buy up some pellet guns people! Or even a nice little .22 now that the useless Long Gun Registry is getting tossed out

[Woodenhead]

...I actually missed these cute little guys from back east.

[oneh2obabe]

...I actually missed these cute little guys from back east.

True ... haven't seen one since I moved here. Entertaining little buggers.

[Bsuds]

We have some near us and have been seeing them for a couple of years now.

[exFarmerS]

I hate 'em. Used to have nice little red squirrels who were chased away about two years ago by the big ones. These ones are a pain.

[DaveC]

Time to buy up some pellet guns people! Or even a nice little .22 now that the useless Long Gun Registry is getting tossed out

You'll shoot your eye out!

[Tenlock]

[quote="grammafreddyMarch 26, 2010 ...

squirrel.jpg

Do ya suppose that's one of them?[/quote]

Hey Gramma, is that a picture of my little buddy Blacky? (Gramma and I became friends because of that little critter.) Fast forward 2 years and there is now at least 3 living in the area and playing tag on the fence. The invasion has started!

[dirtybiker]

...I actually missed these cute little guys from back east.

Wow, what were you expecting???That's a real long shot.

Master marksmanship +++++++!

[Rwede]

The Grey Squirrels are, like any invasive species, bad news for our indigenous animals. They are aggressive, breed like rats, and will kill any and all songbirds, Red Squirrels, and native plant species.

We'll need to do something right away to take care of these little buggers before they cause a lot of damage and wipe out our native species. Yeah, yeah, they are cute and fuzzy, but think about Purple Loosestrife or knapweed or milfoil...


Grams, that is indeed a Grey Squirrel. Make yerself some squirrel stew.


From the Wildlife Act, Grey Squirrels are Schedule C and you can kill them anytime, anywhere.

Schedule C

Schedule "C" animals can be captured
or killed anywhere and at any time in BC.
Schedule “C” birds may be hunted using electronic
calls. You do not need a hunting licence
to hunt or kill the following
Schedule “C” wildlife:

(a) Rana catesbeiana - American bullfrog
(b) Rana clamitans - green frog
(c) all species of the family Chelydridae -
snapping turtles
(d) Didelphis virginiana - North American
opossum
(e) Sylvilagus floridanus - eastern cottontail
(f) Oryctolagus cuniculus - European rabbit
(g) Myocastor coypus - nutria
(h) all species of the genus Sciurus - gray
squirrels and fox squirrels
(i) Passer domesticus - house sparrow
(j) Sturnus vulgaris - European starling
(k) Columbia livia - rock dove (domestic
pigeon)