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Index of Subjects --089e011847dea9650605045e95ad Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 I encountered something similar when working in southwest Saskatchewan. Richardson's ground squirrels (locally known as gophers) are plentiful, and trying to avoid hitting them with the car was dangerous and nearly impossible, their movements being erratic and the roads gravel. On more than a few occasions a gopher was struck in the morning and on the return journey later that evening we would find it being eaten by other gophers. Seems wrong, perhaps, but I suppose dead is dead and protein is protein. -David Simpson, in France On 1 Oct 2014 16:33, <darrell@abolitphotos.ca> wrote: > The reason they call them tree rats is they will eat anything, including > baby birds and lots of them, alive no less. > > > > > =============================================== > > > On Wed, 1 Oct 2014 11:16:26 -0300, Ian McKay <ian@amimckay.com> wrote: > We just got back from a trip to NYC and saw some strange behaviour I was > >> hoping someone could shed some light on. This is possibly unpleasant, >> please stop reading if you are tender hearted. >> While walking on Roosevelt Island we came upon a small [about 2/3 full >> size] grey squirrel that may have been hit by a car and made its way to the >> grass. It was twitching, but seemingly barely alive. While we discussed >> what we could do for it, a larger grey came down the nearby tree, rushed >> over to the fallen squirrel and began to sniff it in earnest. Then, quick >> as thought, it grasped the injured squirrel in its mouth and rushed back up >> the tree! I wouldn't have thought it could move so fast or nimbly with such >> a heavy and awkward load. >> Now, we thought, there is a mother still caring for her offspring. Then, >> a darker thought entered our minds [we had be discussing the infamous >> insane asylum that used to stand where we were] and wondered...do squirrels >> eat meat? shudder. >> We are hoping that this is not the case and we witnessed a wonderful, >> maternal moment. But the naturalist in us wondered - just how sharp in >> tooth and claw nature might be. >> Any ideas? >> >> Ian McKay >> Scots Bay >> > > > > > --089e011847dea9650605045e95ad Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <p dir=3D"ltr">I encountered something similar when working in southwest Sa= skatchewan. Richardson's ground squirrels (locally known as gophers) ar= e plentiful, and trying to avoid hitting them with the car was dangerous an= d nearly impossible, their movements being erratic and the roads gravel. On= more than a few occasions a gopher was struck in the morning and on the re= turn journey later that evening we would find it being eaten by other gophe= rs. Seems wrong, perhaps, but I suppose dead is dead and protein is protein= .</p> <p dir=3D"ltr">-David Simpson, in France</p> <div class=3D"gmail_quote">On 1 Oct 2014 16:33, <<a href=3D"mailto:darr= ell@abolitphotos.ca">darrell@abolitphotos.ca</a>> wrote:<br type=3D"attr= ibution"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;borde= r-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">The reason they call them tree rats= =C2=A0is they will eat anything, including baby birds and lots of them, ali= ve no less.=C2=A0 =C2=A0<br> =C2=A0=C2=A0<br> =C2=A0=C2=A0<br> =C2=A0=C2=A0<br> =C2=A0=C2=A0<br> =C2=A0=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<u></u>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D<br> =C2=A0=C2=A0<br> <br> On Wed, 1 Oct 2014 11:16:26 -0300, Ian McKay <<a href=3D"mailto:ian@amim= ckay.com" target=3D"_blank">ian@amimckay.com</a>> wrote:<br> We just got back from a trip to NYC and saw some strange behaviour I was<br= > <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p= x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> hoping someone could shed some light on. This is possibly unpleasant, pleas= e stop reading if you are tender hearted. <br> While walking on Roosevelt Island we came upon a small [about 2/3 full size= ] grey squirrel that may have been hit by a car and made its way to the gra= ss. It was twitching, but seemingly barely alive. While we discussed what w= e could do for it, a larger grey came down the nearby tree, rushed over to = the fallen squirrel and began to sniff it in earnest. Then, quick as though= t, it grasped the injured squirrel in its mouth and rushed back up the tree= ! I wouldn't have thought it could move so fast or nimbly with such a h= eavy and awkward load. <br> Now, we thought, there is a mother still caring for her offspring. Then, a = darker thought entered our minds [we had be discussing the infamous insane = asylum that used to stand where we were] and wondered...do squirrels eat me= at? shudder. <br> We are hoping that this is not the case and we witnessed a wonderful, mater= nal moment. But the naturalist in us wondered - just how sharp in tooth and= claw nature might be. <br> Any ideas?<br> <br> Ian McKay<br> Scots Bay<br> </blockquote> <br> =C2=A0=C2=A0<br> <br> <br> </blockquote></div> --089e011847dea9650605045e95ad--
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Index of Subjects