Animals. They are taking over.
As explained in our feature cover story this week, rats arrived in the Okanagan several years ago and have grown into a serious pest, giving homeowners a case of the creeps.
They destroy everything in their path, they love to chew wires, and if they get inside your houseÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¦.well thatÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s just terrible.
But not all rats are bad. They actually make great pets. You can even teach them tricks. However it does take some gumption to get past their creepiness.
But seriously, (sort of), rats are the latest in a long line of critters that seem to be growing, right along with the population of the Central Okanagan.
WeÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve got deer on the run in various areas, weÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve got a moose on the loose in West Kelowna, weÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve got invasive squirrels all over the place, weÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve got Canada geese that are now being shot and killed by conservation guys (serious) and we (well one person in our office) has serious ant problems.
We used to have bunniesÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥¦.but thatÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s another story for another time.
The fact is, itÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s an animalsÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ world and weÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™re just living in it.
WeÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™ve (not us) built the greatest middle size city in the world (not our words) right in the middle of a forest and we canÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t stop complaining about the animals that are also here.
Deer are eating the bushes? Time for a cull. Carp have invaded the lake? LetÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s take em out. Canada geese, you say? Off with their heads!
In todayÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s world there just doesnÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t seem to be a real answer for a lot of these issues. Can we live as one with the animals? Can we learn to train rats to herd squirrels and keep ants out of the house?
What are we going to do with all of these invasive species, including us! We might have been the last to arrive on this land. Deer and moose and all variety of animals were here before us.
So as we continue to build this mid-sized city, with its massive sky scraper soon to be throwing shade into the downtown area, itÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s best we become one with the rats. Accept them for who they are.
At least they arenÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t running for council. Not yet anyhow.
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kparnell@kelownacapnews.com
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