Squirrels Are Getting Seriously Tubby From The Warm Winter Weather

[FLPanhandle]

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/squirrels-are-getting-tubby-warm-winter-weather

The season of overindulgence has come and passed. But if you're feeling riddled with guilt, building up the courage to renew your long-forgotten gym membership, these squirrels might make you feel a little better – you're not alone.

The exceptionally mild winter in many areas of the world has led to squirrels across Europe and North America piling on the pounds. The freakishly warm weather has meant trees still have an abundant banquet of nuts and seeds, which the squirrels have been taking full advantage of.

Squirrels don’t hibernate, so to survive the (usually) harsh winter, they gorge on food towards the end of the year to build up fat reserves. This process can lead to squirrels putting on almos a quarter of their body weight in fat.

Iolo Williams, a BBC presenter and wildlife expert, explained to Wales Online that the ample amounts of food around has led to them having extra-thick winter fat layers. However, their thicker winter coat also helps to give them this tubby effect.

The tweets below highlight some of the rather large squirrels spotted in locations across Europe and North America.

?itok=yD1vKoHe


http://twitter.com/brob3rts/status/539864643792302080/photo/1
http://twitter.com/plantweenie/status/684046694816837632/photo/1
http://twitter.com/fox_sake/status/680045095245234178/photo/1

[stage left]

1. I know the squirrels around here

look extremely "healthy". Hope we get a little winter

[tblue37]

15. Everyone should follow the link at the top of the OP. The pictures of fat squirrels on

that page are actually even funnier than the one in the OP. One is of a squirrel with the fattest a** I have ever seen!

[LiberalEsto]

2. Teensy Fit-bits! n/t

[TheOther95Percent]

3. Not as Big in NYC

I have noticed a few with a bit of increased girth as well as being a lot more slow to get up the tree.

[smirkymonkey]

4. We have tons of squirrels in my area and I have noticed that they have been quite chubby!

It's probably not too healthy for them, but they are so cute! They really are adorable when they are fat! I hope winter comes soon so they can sleep it off.

[Arugula Latte]

8. Us too. I love squirrels. I think they are adorable too.

When they get all chubbed out I just want to squish them and smoosh them.

[smirkymonkey]

9. I know! If I didn't think they would bite me I would go up and

try to cuddle with them. They are irresistibly cute!

[Arugula Latte]

10. Agree. I started feeding them to give my indoor kitties free "TV" and

that turned me into a Squirrel Lady. Ha ha! They are hard to resist when they come up to the window and peer in with their little hands clasped together like a boy in Oliver Twist.

[Hortensis]

5. Huh. One leapt for a tree trunk as I walked up yesterday

and landed sideways on it, which struck me then as a bit odd. I'm going to take a closer look at our little guys.

[aikoaiko]

6. The Missouri Department of Conservation to the rescue.

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/cooking/squirrel-recipes

Squirrel, Parmesan
Squirrel Sausage
Squirrel, Skillet
Fried Squirrel

A basic recipe for fried squirrel.
Rosemary Parmesan Squirrel

Try this Italian approach to squirrel.
Skillet Squirrel

Squirrels simmered in mushroom and red wine gravy, delicious!
Squirrel and Dumplings

Squirrel replaces chicken in this hearty, traditional main dish.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. We used to eat them when I was a kid

in rural SW Ohio. Tastes like chicken.

[Logical]

29. FFS, I new some hunter would post this. Nt

[Arugula Latte]

7. Channeling Donald Trump: Our squirrels are HUUUUUUUUUUGE this year.

[Odin2005]

11. Adorably funny!

[Blue_In_AK]

12. The one good thing about Anchorage's warmer than usual winter,

is that the voles have apparently decided to stay outside for once. Woo-hoo!

[trof]

14. Oh they're cute alright, until...

They chew the insulation off you car's wires and you have to get it re-wired at about $500.
Twice.

They chew the PVC vent stacks on your roof and you have to get them replaced at about $500.

They get in your attic and walls and you have to get your house 'squirrel proofed' for about $800.

My weapon of choice is a .22 semi-automatic rifle (Mossberg) using low velocity (sub-sonic, semi 'quiet') bullets.

I just nailed one of those fat little fuckers about 15 minutes ago.


P.S. The foxes in the neighborhood love me. The squirrel carcasses are always gone by the next morning.

[Hekate]

18. Squirrels are basically rats with fluffy tails and good PR. nt

[trof]

19. Yep. I used to think they were cute. No longer.

Destructive little bastards.
They are rodents and their incisors keep growing.
They have to grind them down.
They will chew on anything hard.
Your mailbox, vent stack, insulation, whatever.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

32. My father in law would shoot them and feed the squirrels to a family of foxes he had on the property

I personally like squirrels. I think they are cute. Plus they give my dog good exercise and act as a good motivator if she doesn't want to go out in the rain. All I have to say is "get the squirrel!!"

A couple months ago she got one in the yard. I was on my deck talking on the phone and saw her out of the corner of my eye.

Me: Wtf is that!! Oh shit drop it.

Her look: asshole, you've been telling me to get these for 12 years!

[Bigmack]

16. Yeh, well OUR squirrels are getting

almost too plump to climb the fence where the food we feed them hangs out! OK OK....Our own damned fault!

[Hekate]

17. The only squirrels I've seen around here are looking kinda skinny. The drought probably...

....has something to do with it. I think if one of the coyotes locally were to encounter that little chubbo, she'd think she'd gotten quite the tasty meal!

[NickB79]

20. I love a good squirrel stew

Man, one of those bad boys would be a meal in itself!

[Bigmack]

21. ROUS...? ROUS....? Rodents Of Unusual Size..?

Anybody remember this part of "Princess Bride"?

[Liberal_in_LA]

22. Cutie

[awoke_in_2003]

23. I'll be skewered for saying it

but that looks like some good eating there.

[B Calm]

24. Friend of mine hand feeds his squirrels cookies. They're all fat!

[smirkymonkey]

25. City squirrels can be very bold when it comes to food.

I remember sitting in Washington Square park one day eating one of those Kind nut bars. A squirrel leapt at me and grabbed the bar right out of my hand with its teeth! They have no fear of people. I still think they are cute though.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. I thought the ones on my bird feeders were looking kind of tubby.

[Nay]

33. Yeah, me too! I looked at a squirrel in the yard today and said

to myself, "Damn, that's one big boy."

[JonathanRackham]

27. What a difference a year makes.

Last year we hit sub zero for a month and they were freezing and falling out of trees. Record highs this year, record lows last year. Meterological chaos.

[3catwoman3]

28. We have a number of...

...plump little patio critters enjoying our handouts this winter. Some of them have white ears with tufts - pretty cute. They come right up to the door and drive a couple of our cats to distraction. Built in entertainment.

[Arugula Latte]

31. ...