BARKING-MAD SQUIRREL ANTICS SPELL TROUBLE
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10:30 - 25 July 2005
A Macho mating ritual of squirrels could reach epic scale this year - spelling disaster for the trees of the Forest of Dean.
Grey squirrels are tearing strips off trees to impress females, which then weakens the trees. Experts have warned the historic Dean is teetering on the edge of a tree crisis as a result of the aggressive hormonal behaviour.
The grey squirrel population in the area is increasing rapidly, with Forestry Commission chiefs estimating current numbers to be around 20,000 - earning it the reputation as the UK's squirrel capital.
Now, the situation is expected to worsen as conservation experts predict this year the furry vandals will wreak even more havoc on the next generation of woodland giants during the mating season.
Bede Howell, of the European Squirrel Initiative, which monitors the phenomenon throughout Europe, said this year was threatening to be a bad 12 months for squirrel damage.
Rob Guest, deputy surveyor for the Forestry Commission, said it was too early to determine the extent of the damage said it depended on two factors.
Firstly, on how cold or unpleasant the winter is, because that affects squirrels' survival.
Secondly, the amount of food available in the autumn, as heavy fruiting supports a build-up of food for the winter, which helps their survival.
"We already know we had quite a lot of squirrels coming through the winter and now we are just getting into the damage season," Mr Guest said.
"Heavy fruiting means there was a lot of food and squirrels went into the winter in good condition.
"We certainly think reasonably heavy numbers have come through into this year."
The Forest's wide range of trees, including oak, beech, chestnut, pine, fir and spruce, makes it particularly attractive to squirrels.
They strip bark right round the trunk, which means the tree either dies, or if it is stripped on one side only, it weakens it until it snaps or allows fungus to set in.
Currently, Forestry Commission chiefs do not have the resources to cull squirrels and if numbers are high it makes it harder to control them to stop the damage occurring.
Mr Guest said the damage would be calculated within the next month.
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Those rodents are everywhere.
Stephen
Topic: OT: Be very very carefull J'inn... (Read 2139 times)