Squirrel issues

[DSMc]

Oakwilt, that aberration certainly sounds like a squirrel's worst nightmare. Like I said, there are several predators that are very effective at maintaining squirrel populations. There is the Marten, which is closely related to the sable; the Fisher, the Goshawk, among others.

On the mammalian side, most of those have been hunted for their furs virtually to the point of extinction. They are the only mammals that can catch squirrels in their own environment (trees).

It might be worthwhile studying the feasibility of reintroducing some of these. Without natural predators the only thing that can realistically control overpopulated species is starvation or disease.

Dave

 

[rfwoodvt]

[ QUOTE ]

On the mammalian side, most of those have been hunted for their furs virtually to the point of extinction.

Dave

[/ QUOTE ]

No lack of martens and fisher's here in NW VT. I can't spend an early morning in the woods without seeing a couple or the clear evidence of some.

Matter of fact, in neighborhoods with woodland interface environments when the family cats start disappearing the homeowners cry "coyote!" and while we have plenty of them (can't go a week without hearing them), the predator taking the cats most often turns out to be a fisher or two or three.

 

[DSMc]

That's good to hear. Unless you are a cat.

Have you noticed any difference in the squirrel population between the interface of the forests and areas deeper within the cities? It has been my experience that those particular predators tend to stir clear of the more conjested areas.

Dave

 

[Treelimbjim]

oakwilt:
NINJA SQUIRREL!
I'm interested in one of those bad boys. Breed pair would be better. No need for any overhead, just catch, drive the 5 hours to the center of campus, and release. I'll pay ya for the 55-gallon drum containment vessel, and Hydrocodone and/or wiskey for sedation.

Talking with our pest control guy, he says squirrels don't go for the anti-freeze but will do baits.

The problem really is the environment, that the population needs to be controlled by further disrupting their habitat.