They香蕉视频直播檙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香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檛 manage the squirrel population, and said the Ministry of Environment has been watching the newcomers.

香蕉视频直播淚 expect the population to keep growing and growing. They香蕉视频直播檙e now sighted in Vernon fairly often and they香蕉视频直播檙e going to make it to Penticton. I would say the Okanagan is a goner,香蕉视频直播� said Larsen.

Naomi Bothe is a co-owner of Firefly Farm in Kelowna, and she said the squirrels have decimated the farm香蕉视频直播檚 hazelnut and walnut crops.

The furry invaders started appearing on her property around seven years ago and it香蕉视频直播檚 been five years since Bothe has been able to gather nuts.

香蕉视频直播淥nce the invasive squirrels moved in we didn香蕉视频直播檛 get any more nuts,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檝e really destroyed that opportunity for us.香蕉视频直播�

The squirrels also chewed through storage containers in her barn.

When comparing them to the native red squirrels, she said the native species didn香蕉视频直播檛 cause a problem for her nut supply.

Initially it was a few squirrels she said, but now they香蕉视频直播檙e breeding and their numbers have been slowly increasing since she first spotted them.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e even found them running up the side of my house. As the population grows, I香蕉视频直播檓 sure it will be a problem,香蕉视频直播� she said.

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

香蕉视频直播淯p until this point, we香蕉视频直播檙e thankful they haven香蕉视频直播檛 gotten into our other crops,香蕉视频直播� she said, noting Firefly Farms sells mixed vegetables.

Larsen has had contact with the provincial government, but 香蕉视频直播渘othing is happening. They香蕉视频直播檙e not as large of a profile as a rat for instance.香蕉视频直播�

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香蕉视频直播檚 territory.

香蕉视频直播淭hey don香蕉视频直播檛 have this territorial behaviour, so where you would have one squirrel in your block now you have 15,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd the numbers are just going to go crazy.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭alking to people in these neighbourhoods, it香蕉视频直播檚 clear to see the numbers are increasing and they香蕉视频直播檙e eventually going to fill the city up like they香蕉视频直播檝e done elsewhere.香蕉视频直播�

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香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檛 be around for a period of time.

香蕉视频直播淪quirrels is just another example of 香蕉视频直播榳e don香蕉视频直播檛 know what to do, so we turn to people like Larsen,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� she said.

According to David Karn, with the Ministry of Environment, the invasive squirrel more recently appeared in the Thompson-Okanagan region, 香蕉视频直播渞epresenting a significant geographical jump from the previously known range.香蕉视频直播�

A project was conducted to determine the range of the squirrel in 2012 and 香蕉视频直播渨e will continue to work closely with the Invasive Species Council on the management of invasive animal issues,香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淲e do have invasive species but it香蕉视频直播檚 more noxious weeds. We do insects and weeds. We do exotic animals and we do dogs but that香蕉视频直播檚 the extent of it,香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淭hey are considered to be one of the 100 most invasive species on the planet,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e could stop them, but unfortunately every year goes by and it香蕉视频直播檚 going to take more and more money.香蕉视频直播�

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