I love squirrels. To me it doesn’t matter which variety: the persistent greys, the noisy reds, the tufted-ear fox, the flyers, Northern and Southern. I encourage them to steal seeds from my bird feeders. I have nest boxes for winter habitats and when I did wildlife rehabilitation, squirrels were my specialty.
But over the past year, I have read a number of articles discussing the environmental impact from the invasion of grey squirrels on the European mainland and the British Isles. Native to the United States, the grey squirrels were brought to England and Europe as diplomatic gifts. Through accident or intentional release, the grey squirrels multiplied and now threatens the survival of the native red squirrels.
So when I read about a proposed culling to eradicate grey squirrels from Great Britain, I was dismayed and angry. My concern was increased after reading today’s Wildlife Disease News where the feature article is about how the red squirrels of Northern Italy have been wiped out by grey squirrels introduced into the region. [Wildlife Disease News - October 1, 2012 - referenced to the following article in The Guardian
I am an advocate of the removing of invasive plant species and have participated in numerous work bees where I have pulled out, cut down and herbicide treated glossy and common buckthorn, thistle and the lovely oriental bittersweet. I have no disagreement with the proposed closing of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canel to fence out the Asian and Silver Carp. But when it comes to the killing of invasive animal species, I cannot reconcile my love of animals to the proposed solutions to combat invasive wildlife. In the case of the nonnative Mute Swans, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has an application process where landowners can destroy mute swan nests and eggs. Captured mute swans can be euthanized following protocols approved by the DNR. Feral swine, another invasive animal, can be hunted during any open hunting season by licensed hunters, theoretically every day of the year.
What troubles me is that we humans caused these situations by thoughtlessly introducing animals and plants into areas where they do not belong. Then, when these “invasives” create problems for us and our habitats, our response is to kill them on sight. It is an arrogant attitude that somehow people are smarter than nature and that we are not held to the same natural rules that every other plant and animal must abide by. If there is anything I have learned over the years about nature is that what I know is minuscule to the intricate complexity that is the ecosystem. Does that mean we should do nothing when confronted with an invasive species? No, but I believe the onus is on us to make better decisions about what plants we sow and the practicality of possessing wildlife who really should be allowed to live their lives in the wild where they belong.
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