Loved for their furry cuteness and acrobatic hijinks by some but reviled as troublesome “tree rats” by others; squirrels evoke a passionate response. Interestingly, the urbanization of the Eastern Gray Squirrel more than 150 years ago is largely responsible for this animal pest’s prolific numbers in Bergen County backyards and Morris County city parks – and we have only ourselves to blame!
In 1847, Philadelphia began what historian Etienne Benson calls “the nation’s first great squirrel experiment.” At the time, Eastern gray squirrels were a wildlife novelty rarely found in urban settings where young trees offered little suitable habitat. Outside cities, squirrels were so numerous they were considered an agricultural pest and were subject to bounties.
Philly reformers were quite taken with the small animals, considering them a way to beautify the city. They started what became a national craze by introducing squirrels to Franklin Square. With nut trees scarce in the city, officials fed the rodents and provided nesting boxes to encourage them to stay. People even kept squirrels as pets, according to a fascinating article on Philly.com.
A few decades later when logging of their forest habitat nearly decimated New Jersey’s squirrel population, wildlife officials actually imported squirrels. The distant relatives of those squirrels are the ones that dig up our tulip bulbs and nest in our attics today. If the squirrels in your yard have become more troublesome than cute, call the squirrel removal experts at Heritage Pest Control for safe, humane removal and relocation.