euthanizing squirrels?

[daisygirl]

Didn't they try a cull on the Canada Goose awhile back with horrific results?

I agree with Karrie that the most humane way would be to gas the squirrels, if it needs to be done. But sendoh brings up an interesting point, as well. Is it possible to hire university workers to slip a permanent birth control into the nests of the young...in their food? Or some such plan?

To inflict pain on an animal just because one doesn't think it has a soul, as someone suggested earlier, shows the mentality of a cruel individual and is extremely telling about what kind of life a person like that would live. We need to ensure that squirrels, or any animals, do not end up being culled by the likes of people like that.

All living creatures should have the easiest death possible, if there is a choice.

And Wolf has a point in that many people would appreciate squirrel meat rather than going hungry. Is there not a decent way of doing both?

 

[DaSleeper]

Birth control pills Hmmmm!
I believe they already tried that in Alberta quite a few years ago to control the beaver population ( I mean the ones that build dams)
Can't find any reference to it at the moment.......maybe someone living there could enlighten me???

 

[Sal]

Well look at the problem Australia had with rabbits. Introduced them, they had no natural predator, and they over ran the country.

As soon as man starts messing around with nature we mess things up. Big surprise. The greys have moved West. One would think eventually, the red squirrel pop. will balance itself without us interfering.

Arbitrarily killing something in a cruel and inhumane way will backfire, guaranteed.

 

[Twila]

Another solution to the grey squirrel problem can probably be had by some red hair dye or paint

I vote for this solution!
They can interbreed, wouldn't that be the best solution? Have them interbreed and make the best, baddest, strongest squirrel to ever exist? That is natures law isn't it?

 

[lone wolf]

Methinks no critter - including man - can live in nature without having an imprint on it and the sooner man figures it out, the less ulcers man will have.

Wolf

 

[hermanntrude]

I vote for this solution!
They can interbreed, wouldn't that be the best solution? Have them interbreed and make the best, baddest, strongest squirrel to ever exist? That is natures law isn't it?

make squirrel love, not squirrel war

 

[Unforgiven]

Methinks no critter - including man - can live in nature without having an imprint on it and the sooner man figures it out, the less ulcers man will have.

Wolf

Imprint isn't all bad. It's the defining that imprint that is key. I think the difference is that we as a species have to learn to give up some of the things we're addicted to and think not of convenience and efficiency in production, but of the affect what we are doing has on the established systems around us.

Once we find that and make it routine, it isn't seen as arduous once apparent that it's working and non disruptive to the natural method. Bio-mimicry works in this fashion.

 

[Twila]

make squirrel love, not squirrel war

HEAR HEAR!!! Now where can I get a t-shirt?

 

[hermanntrude]

u don't need a t-shirt my dear twila. Not for the squirrel love

 

[JoeSchmoe]

They are bad for the ecology of the area. We should try and correct the problem in as humane a way as possible.

 

[Tonington]

They are bad for the ecology of the area. We should try and correct the problem in as humane a way as possible.

That gets my vote.

 

[Twila]

Humane...has human in it...humans being humane...sad that we have to advocate it...It should be instinctual.

 

[hermanntrude]

They are bad for the ecology of the area. We should try and correct the problem in as humane a way as possible.

define bad.

The society has already decided the same as you have and come to the conclusion that the most realistic and humane method of culling squirrels is to drown them in barrels and streams.

I still think that the mistake is already made and trying to backpedal now only makes things worse. Let the greys do what they will, and try to prevent idiots from introducing animals into new habitats for their own pleasure in the future

 

[Philo Cojones]

Agreeing with the Hunting. Introduced species will clog the ecosystem and make life miserable for native species. If the greys are bigger, they'll eat all the food meant for the reds and more and more squirrels will starve to death.... I'm also wondering what Unf asked... where are the predators?

seems to me, hermanntrude, that instead of protesting the killing in general, you should instead be offering alternative methods of culling.

i wonder if this would even be an issue with a less "Cute" animal? like, say, the pine beetle? they're wanting to slaughter those poor beetles by the millions! it's not their fault they were introduced and are now destroying the ecosystem!

 

[hermanntrude]

i'm against "culling" in general. Unless a species is actually destroying an entire ecosystem or killing people, I say leave the poor buggers alone and stop trying to pretend you can "manage" an ecosystem. There are countless examples of man being totally unable to predict the consequences of his actions in such situations.

And yes that counts for ugly creatures too

 

[Philo Cojones]

so you stance is "Well, we f*cked up... but we're just going to leave it alone and pretend it didn't happen"?

Or is your stance "Well, we f*cked up, but we'll fight tooth and nail to protect that f*ckup!"

Doesn't make any sense. It's like setting a fire and then just letting it do it's thing instead of trying to put it out.

 

[hermanntrude]

OK let's extend your metaphor:

this fire you speak of, the last time you lit one like it and you tried to put it out, it went totally out of control and ruined acres of farmland, destroying people's homes and lives. This has happened before. Perhaps it's best to leave this one alone, just in case the same thing happens? And perhaps next time it'd be best if you just didn't light any more fires?

 

[Sal]

Wait guys. Did the squirrel arrive there naturally, or did we introduce it? I think that makes a difference.

 

[Tonington]

Introduced. I read something this week about a Zoo releasing the prolific animals when the living quarters became too cramped, though I'm not certain that is the case. In most instances of foreign species, there are usually many stories about how the animals arrived.

 

[Philo Cojones]

OK let's extend your metaphor:
this fire you speak of, the last time you lit one like it and you tried to put it out, it went totally out of control and ruined acres of farmland, destroying people's homes and lives. This has happened before. Perhaps it's best to leave this one alone, just in case the same thing happens?

So Firefighters should never try to put out fires, because it might make them worse? I don't see how culling a large amount of an introduced species is going to have a negative effect on the environment... the only negative effect might be on the emotional state of people who fail to see the bigger picture.

And perhaps next time it'd be best if you just didn't light any more fires?

Obviously.