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Rock Squirrel at Hermits Rest.
Photo by Christian Espanol.
Grand Canyon National Park is home to a wide assortment of dangerous animals. The mountain lion, with retractable claws and large teeth, patrols vass areas of land within Grand Canyon National Park occassionally wandering into Grand Canyon Village. Black bears with massive and incredibly strong bodies and insatiable appettites are also register in NPS' Grand Canyon mamallian animal list. Elk, especially during the rut, can charge without notice bringing their sharp antlers to bear with 750 pounds of muscle behind them. These animals, as dangerous as they are, do not send as many Grand Canyon visitors to the emergency room as Spermophilus variegatus. Park rangers warn many to be wary of this most dangerous animal, the ferocious and unforgiving, rock squirrel.
Grand Canyon National Park is home to thousands of these small creatures, many of them making a living inside Grand Canyon Village using its charms and wit to lure unsuspecting tourists within range before it strikes. The rock squirrels are also indescriminante in their attacks, having just last week bitten a young toddler. Along with their sharp, albeit small teeth, squirrels may also pass a whole host of deadly diseases to their victims (Updated Information).
The worst thing about this aggressive behavior is that it is largely the fault of humans. Most animals are extremely human afraid. The mountain lion very rarely makes an appearance to humans, needing to be radio collared to be tracked. Black bears also do not normally make their presence known to Grand Canyon Village residents and guests. Even elk, except for the rut, will walk away from humans if they get too close. The rock squirrel, however, have found humans to be a great source of food. Not targetting human flesh, but rather the treats normally offered in hand. From the squirrel's perspective, any person extending out their hand to pet, invite on their hand, or any other reason is offering food making bites all the more likely.
Rock Squirrel investigating my bag
on Kaibab Trail. Photo by Christian Espanol.
Even if not trying to make an effort to feed the squirrels, humans have also invited them to be curious when people are present. Improperly sealed food containers, open packs, and even sloppy eating habits have contributed to the squirrels' view of humans as sources of food. Chasing these squirrels away is also difficult as their fear of humans may be removed completely. While hiking along many trails, and dropping my pack to take a break, I have had my share of squirrels investigate my hiking gear and unafraid of my yells, claps, and stomps to chase them away.
In The Guide, the publication given to all Park visitors when they enter, there is a clear warning not to feed the animals within its pages. Rangers patrolling the trails will warn and potentially fine guests for trying to interact personally with animals. Even the sandwich packs provided at Xanterra cafeterias have stickers with the phrase "Keep Wildlife Wild." During the year, dozens of guests will come to the emergency room at the Grand Canyon Clinic looking for squirrel bite treatment. Do not let your vacation end on a down note. Take your picture, without using food to lure animals in for a close-up, and respect our wild neighbors from a distance.
Ralph Maughan’s Wildlife News - A Website by the President of the Wolf Recovery Foundation
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Update
25 March 2009: This point may leave you to believe that squirrels may be the source of diseases that can be transmitted to humans. The squirrels themselves have not been documented as sources of human disease, but the parasites they carry and waste they produce can transmit very serious pathogens (thank you Linda R.). You can also go to the NPS website that goes into more detail about feeding wildlife, especially rock squirrels.
Comments
I would like to know what the author thinks are "the whole host of deadly diseases" that can be passed from squirrel to human. I am a wildlife rehabilitator specializing in squirrels, and I am not aware of any.
I appreciate the update, Christian, but I still take issue with the premise of your article: that squirrels are dangerous animals. While I agree that wild animals should not be fed, the very worst that can happen in a human-squirrel encounter is an unintended bite that hurts like hell. It happens sometimes because the squirrel's eyes are set to the side of it's head, and it doesn't mistakes the outstretched finger for food. Furthermore, there is no reason that I am aware of to go to the emergency room with a squirrel bite, unless one hasn't had a tetanus shot in a long time. Squirrels are NOT vectors for transmission of rabies, or any other dangerous disease, to humans.
Now let's talk about animals that CAN kill you. Mountain lions and bears, to be sure, are strong enough to overpower a human. Also potentially deadly, but less obvious, are raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats. 50% of all rabies cases in the United States involve raccoons. Skunks, foxes and bats are other common carriers of rabies. Raccoons are also carriers of Baylisascaris procyonis, a roundworm which is deadly to humans and which is transmitted to humans when they ingest raccoon feces.
So why pick on the poor squirrels? I would warn people not to let their young children play in the dirt where there are raccoons around.
Agreed, there are more "deadly" animals in Grand Canyon than the squirrel. The term "dangerously" is used loosely by some rangers to bring the point home that feeding them just isn't safe since squirrel incidents get reported more than other animal related injuries I have heard, probably more out of concern for the small injury than necessity.
Thanks again for you input. I'll be writing another similar "Do not Feed Wild Animals" article soon.
Hmmmmm. There is one major disease that the rodents in the area are known carry, the plague. Granted, it is in fact the fleas that carry and transmit the disease. The rodents carry the fleas. Also, rodents in the area are known to carry Hantavirus which is transmitted through their feces, urine and saliva.
This article is in serious need of an editor - there are many grammatical errors throughout, which makes it hard to believe and hard to trust.
Also, the first paragraph implies that black bears are dangerous to humans - "massive and incredibly strong bodies and insatiable appetites" [that last word latter misspelled in the original]. But in reality, black bears get the majority of their food from plants. Any animals they eat tend to be small (e.g. bees, beetles, small rodents) or already dead (carrion).
Although I would never want to pick on squirrels or any other wildlife for that matter I do not recommend touching or interacting with wild animals except through the lens of your camera.Not only are wild animals unpredictable but the threat of virus/disease mutation is possible.Just because an animal is not a known carrier of a human transmittable disease does not mean it will always be so.Mountain lion attacks although rare do happen as witnessed by the recent attack in Texas.Better safe than sorry.Leave wildlife wild is a very good idea to follow.
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