Feb 26, 2009
SOURCE: Nanaimo Daily News
NANAIMO, B.C. " Don’t let that cute, fuzzy face fool you: The eastern grey squirrel has been known to eat baby birds, kill the parents and then steal the nests, according to the Ministry of Environment. And they’re spreading farther up Vancouver Island.
Kate Thompson, spokeswoman for the ministry, said biologists are now trying to confirm whether the invasive species, first brought to Vancouver Island in 1966, has established itself in the Chemainus area.
The animals pose a significant threat to native species. The ministry says eastern grey squirrels damage Garry Oak trees by eating bark and acorns, compete with the native red squirrels and birds for food while also gobbling bird eggs and nestlings. The ministry has also received reports of landowners seeing eastern grey squirrels catch and kill songbirds. As well, they have gnawed through eaves to nest in attics and roofs of houses.
The critters have already been spotted in Nanaimo and even farther north in the Parksville and Qualicum Beach areas.
An employee at The Backyard Wildbird And Nature Store in Nanaimo says the creatures have become a nuisance for Nanaimo bird-lovers. “We’re now marketing and bringing in merchandise to deal with squirrel problems, which is something we never had to do,” said Carlo Pavan.
