They害羞草研究所檙e furry, cute and invading the Okanagan.

Five years ago, Thompson Rivers University professor Karl Larsen of the devastation caused by invasive eastern grey squirrels.

Now, as the squirrels flock into City Park and elsewhere, Larsen said it害羞草研究所檚 too late for the Okanagan, as they have spread to Vernon and Penticton.

Larsen said he sent emails years ago to the City of Kelowna, but received no response on his warnings. According to the city, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 manage the squirrel population, and said the Ministry of Environment has been watching the newcomers.

害羞草研究所淚 expect the population to keep growing and growing. They害羞草研究所檙e now sighted in Vernon fairly often and they害羞草研究所檙e going to make it to Penticton. I would say the Okanagan is a goner,害羞草研究所� said Larsen.

Naomi Bothe is a co-owner of Firefly Farm in Kelowna, and she said the squirrels have decimated the farm害羞草研究所檚 hazelnut and walnut crops.

The furry invaders started appearing on her property around seven years ago and it害羞草研究所檚 been five years since Bothe has been able to gather nuts.

害羞草研究所淥nce the invasive squirrels moved in we didn害羞草研究所檛 get any more nuts,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檝e really destroyed that opportunity for us.害羞草研究所�

The squirrels also chewed through storage containers in her barn.

When comparing them to the native red squirrels, she said the native species didn害羞草研究所檛 cause a problem for her nut supply.

Initially it was a few squirrels she said, but now they害羞草研究所檙e breeding and their numbers have been slowly increasing since she first spotted them.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e even found them running up the side of my house. As the population grows, I害羞草研究所檓 sure it will be a problem,害羞草研究所� she said.

Bothe would like to see a response from the city and the provincial government.

害羞草研究所淯p until this point, we害羞草研究所檙e thankful they haven害羞草研究所檛 gotten into our other crops,害羞草研究所� she said, noting Firefly Farms sells mixed vegetables.

Larsen has had contact with the provincial government, but 害羞草研究所渘othing is happening. They害羞草研究所檙e not as large of a profile as a rat for instance.害羞草研究所�

The native red squirrels, which are smaller in size, are being displaced by the larger grey squirrel, said Larsen. The red squirrel is territorial and not suited for urban environments, where the invasive species can live much closer to homes, feeding off of bird feeders and encroaching on the red squirrel害羞草研究所檚 territory.

害羞草研究所淭hey don害羞草研究所檛 have this territorial behaviour, so where you would have one squirrel in your block now you have 15,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淎nd the numbers are just going to go crazy.害羞草研究所�

Squirrels in large numbers also cause problems with chewing through wires, damaging tulip bulbs and gardens in parks. Larsen recently conducted a study with his students which proved the squirrels will eat grapes.

The problem in dealing with invasive species, is not having the funding before the species becomes a problem, he said. Squirrels are also cute. If it was a rat problem, people might have a different response, he said.

Larsen spent weeks in the Okanagan last spring, collecting grey squirrels to see if they carry disease.

害羞草研究所淭alking to people in these neighbourhoods, it害羞草研究所檚 clear to see the numbers are increasing and they害羞草研究所檙e eventually going to fill the city up like they害羞草研究所檝e done elsewhere.害羞草研究所�

There is no invasive species society specifically for the Central Okanagan, but Lisa Scott of the Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society said she has seen the squirrels in the area.

The society is involved with the and works on dealing with invasive plants, but only surplus funding goes to animals like squirrels or insects, she said, and it害羞草研究所檚 more for educational purposes.

Grant programs from the ministry go to regional groups to handle plants, she said. There has been talk of an Invasive Species Act, said Scott, but it won害羞草研究所檛 be around for a period of time.

害羞草研究所淪quirrels is just another example of 害羞草研究所榳e don害羞草研究所檛 know what to do, so we turn to people like Larsen,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she said.

According to David Karn, with the Ministry of Environment, the invasive squirrel more recently appeared in the Thompson-Okanagan region, 害羞草研究所渞epresenting a significant geographical jump from the previously known range.害羞草研究所�

A project was conducted to determine the range of the squirrel in 2012 and 害羞草研究所渨e will continue to work closely with the Invasive Species Council on the management of invasive animal issues,害羞草研究所� he said.

Bruce Smith, communications officer for the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, said there is funding set aside to deal with Canada geese, called the Geese Management Program, but not with invasive squirrels.

害羞草研究所淲e do have invasive species but it害羞草研究所檚 more noxious weeds. We do insects and weeds. We do exotic animals and we do dogs but that害羞草研究所檚 the extent of it,害羞草研究所� he said. For funding to be allocated, the squirrels would have to be a nuisance or causing damages, he said.

Larsen predicts the squirrels will continue to spread throughout B.C.

害羞草研究所淭hey are considered to be one of the 100 most invasive species on the planet,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e could stop them, but unfortunately every year goes by and it害羞草研究所檚 going to take more and more money.害羞草研究所�

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carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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