No chill: Aggressive squirrel takes a bite out of eastern Ontario town
There's chitter-chatter in Carleton Place, Ont., about an aggressive squirrel running up at residents — and occasionally taking a nip.
Jeff Samler is one of several residents in the town who've reported a close encounter with the rodent he's come to call "Short Tail."
His incident occurred late last fall, but recent social media posts suggest the bushy-tailed rodent is still causing concern in the community near Ottawa.
Samler said he first mistook the squirrel for his dog's tail brushing his leg. The rest of the incident, which happened last fall, was caught on his driveway security camera.
"He just ran up my leg, ran around my head. I tried to get him off my head," Samler said. "He bit me through my glove. It drew a little bit of blood, but not like I needed stitches or anything like that."
Jeff Samler says this squirrel, nicknamed 'Short Tail,' ran up his leg, around his head and bit his hand. While the incident occurred last fall, Samler pointed out the squirrel during an interview this week with CBC Ottawa. (Matthew Kupfer/CBC)
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After getting the bite checked at the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital, Samler said he was surprised to learn other people had similar experiences.
"It's strong word to use, 'attacked,'" Samler said. "It was just weird. Most squirrels see a human, they just take off. Not this guy."
The hospital declined to comment.
Nine-year-old Lukas Hamilton, who lives down the street from Samler, said he also had a close call in his backyard around the same time.
"He jumped up on me and tried to go into my glove … but I blocked him off and threw him off," Hamilton said.
"But he came back up and I knocked him off … and I ran away."
REMINDER NOT TO FEED WILD ANIMALS
The squirrel has most likely gotten used to humans feeding it, according to Michael Runtz, a natural history lecturer at Carleton University in Ottawa.
"It sounds like a super aggressive squirrel that demands food. And if you don't feed it, it'll bite you," he said.
WATCH BELOW: FEEDING WILDLIFE HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT FAR BEYOND YOUR BACKYARD
Runtz said it's unlikely the animal has rabies, based on the behaviour in the video and the fact it's apparently been biting people for months.
But he can't rule out the slim possibility.
"This sort of thing is so rare. With animals, you always get a variation in behaviours, and you get some that are more aggressive," he said. "And this guy is right on the upper scale of being more aggressive."
The best course of action, Runtz said, may be to live-trap the squirrel and release it in a wooded area far away from town, especially as it now has the opportunity to feed on spring buds.
If not, residents might consider spraying the squirrel with water when it approaches, he said.
"I don't think I want to meet that squirrel in my neighbourhood," Runtz said.
The Town of Carleton Place said in an email it hasn't received any complaints about squirrel bites through its bylaw office.
The local animal control department responds to calls involving domestic animals, the town said. Carleton Place's animal control bylaw does say the area around bird feeders should be maintained to avoid attracting wild animals.
The town said it wouldn't become involved if residents hired a licensed wildlife trapper or pest control expert, depending on which service is appropriate.
This article, written by Matthew Kupfer, was originally published for CBC News.
