Tokyo zoo hunts squirrels that fled during typhoon

National Jun. 22, 2012 - 07:10AM JST ( 37 )

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37 Comments

6

NeverSubmitJun. 22, 2012 - 07:29AM JST

Stop the presses!

How about the ants? Are they fine?
3

LowlyJun. 22, 2012 - 07:49AM JST

non-native species reproduce and mess up the ecosystem
0

bass4funkJun. 22, 2012 - 07:58AM JST

I heard that the little critters taste good, but gotta be careful about the cholesterol.
-4

tmarieJun. 22, 2012 - 08:02AM JST

Lowly, they say that but i have to wonder, what would a squirrel mess up? They don't eat other species and the only enemies they have are large birds which I don't think Tokyo has.

I'm laughing at the thought of them trying to catch squirrels.

Why no report on the baby seal that died??
0

jojo_in_japanJun. 22, 2012 - 08:04AM JST

I wonder if they did a drill for this like the 'escaped rhino' from a couple of months back. That I'd pay to see. hahaha
4

realteacherJun. 22, 2012 - 08:19AM JST

@ tmarie

what would a squirrel mess up? They don't eat other species and the only enemies they have are large birds which I don't think Tokyo has.

Um, a British friend told me about the invasive American squirrels and how they have virtually wiped out the indigenous squirrels on the British Isles. They are pretty territorial and they will kill other squirrels. Still, it would be great fun to see those guys chasing squirrels.

However, I believe I read in J-Times newspaper yesterday that these were indigenous squirrels. So, either a misprint or a misread by me
1

TrouserEnthusiastJun. 22, 2012 - 08:24AM JST

It was pretty funny watching it on the news last night. I didn't know squirrels could move so fast!
1

badmigraineJun. 22, 2012 - 08:28AM JST

Here's one example of what squirrels as invasive species have done

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,195865719586561958395,00.html
2

ZetsuJun. 22, 2012 - 08:28AM JST

Go squirrels ! Go !
2

badmigraineJun. 22, 2012 - 08:31AM JST

Sorry, bad link, try this! The gray squirrel menace in Blighty.

http://tinyurl.com/yhwhrxj
1

Stranger_in_a_Strange_LandJun. 22, 2012 - 08:40AM JST

Yes, invasive species can mess up ecosystems. But, the article doesn't say if they are native Japanese squirrels, or not.

A little more info and a pic would be nice.
8

NeverSubmitJun. 22, 2012 - 08:46AM JST

Nobody wants an invasive species running around mating with all the locals.
0

FoxieJun. 22, 2012 - 08:57AM JST

I can only hope that the remaining squirrels were clever enough to escape that hell.
2

TokyoGasJun. 22, 2012 - 09:01AM JST

Am I the only one who chuckled when reading the headline.
0

gogogoJun. 22, 2012 - 09:30AM JST

chase or tease them.

Why would anyone do that? Slow news day.
0

JA_CruiseJun. 22, 2012 - 09:35AM JST

Question is, can these critters survive in in the urban streets... maybe better off at the zoo.
2

JimizoJun. 22, 2012 - 09:48AM JST

Kawaii! Until you have to get a tetanus shot.
0

LostinNagoyaJun. 22, 2012 - 09:57AM JST

I prefer to see them than the creepy karasu you see everywhere in Japan.
1

UtrackJun. 22, 2012 - 09:58AM JST

I hope the wild cats don't get the squirrels, stay in the trees lil buddies. Cause a wild cat will mess you up. I've seen it a wild cat will treat a squirrel like at it does a mouse.
1

FightingVikingJun. 22, 2012 - 09:59AM JST

Nobody wants an invasive species running around mating with all the locals.

Well said!
2

Pukey2Jun. 22, 2012 - 10:08AM JST

Nobody wants an invasive species running around mating with all the locals.

Are you referring to squirrels?
0

Badge213Jun. 22, 2012 - 10:11AM JST

Gotta catch em, they could be secret squirrels.
-1

DebuchoJun. 22, 2012 - 11:15AM JST

I used to hunt squirrels and eat them. It is pretty oily dark meat, but it does taste pretty good. Hope these aren't gaijin squirrels or the animal crime rate might go up.
0

GWJun. 22, 2012 - 12:53PM JST

If you have seen squirrels in the wild in Japan they are most likely squirrels from Taiwan which have pushed out, extirpated the local variety, also while your out hunting crayfish............any you find will be likely an American variety.

Non-native plants/fauna can have a very large impact, just ask the places in the states where kudzu runs rampant
0

Clemens SimonJun. 22, 2012 - 02:22PM JST

realteacher:

Um, a British friend told me about the invasive American squirrels and how they have virtually wiped out the indigenous squirrels on the British Isles. They are pretty territorial and they will kill other squirrels.

What?! Them Americans have found a way to teach their ideology all the way up to their squirrels??
0

Jerome_from_UtahJun. 22, 2012 - 03:14PM JST

Too bad they didn't mention the variety of squirrel. Here in the "States", we have several types including ground squirrels that live in burrows, greys and reds that live in trees. They can actually run circles around a cat on a tree trunk, so you might get to see some cool action from them.
1

Ari94Jun. 22, 2012 - 03:43PM JST

Zoo should have provided photographs for the run away squirrels, so people can trace them in a bar, or shopping mall or even at a train stations. Now serious talk. When ever I visit zoo I think of safety and the above news is a small example. Just put this on a larger scale, some dangerous animals scape then what? They should always be ready in case of natural disaster.

I have also noticed in various Zoo there isn't proper signs such as Exit, Emergency, Help line/phone.
0

Vernie JefferiesJun. 22, 2012 - 03:52PM JST

I watched them chase the squirrels on the news last night with those butterfly nets. Didn't look like an easy task because they are so quick.
1

Thunderbird2Jun. 22, 2012 - 04:20PM JST

First Pengi makes a break from the Stalag, and now a mass breakout.

Expect to see squirrels in disguise soon, carrying cases and trying not to look like escaped squirrels.
1

Clemens SimonJun. 22, 2012 - 04:35PM JST

Shoemaker-turned-police officers, people trying to kill each other, mayo tossing weirdos, animals roaming the streets...

Welcome to Jumanji, formally known as a small island in the Pacific called Japan.
0

nandakandamandaJun. 22, 2012 - 05:19PM JST

Quote: “Today we set traps with pieces of bread and sweet potatoes, the food we usually give them,” zoo spokeswoman Eri Tsushima said.

Maybe they just wanted a change of diet.
0

oberstJun. 22, 2012 - 07:33PM JST

we need public support over catching the remaining fugitive critters !! AKB48 to the rescue and that surely will mobilise the whole population to join in the effort !
0

SerranoJun. 22, 2012 - 07:39PM JST

I've never seen a wild squirrel in Japan.

"How about the ants? Are they fine?"

Har!

"a determined dozen ( who escaped )

As opposed to the Dirty Dozen!
0

KariHarukaJun. 22, 2012 - 08:06PM JST

Good luck hunting for squirrels in the largest metropolitan area in the world.......
0

SenseNotSoCommonJun. 22, 2012 - 08:15PM JST

If they're captured, how long do get in solitary?
0

hatsoffJun. 22, 2012 - 08:48PM JST

Maybe they should check the local manga cafes. Seems that's where fugitives hide out these days.
0

LowlyJun. 26, 2012 - 07:56PM JST

tmarie,

there's a million things they could do. They could eat another animals food, forcing it into extinciotn, they could eat something that isn't pre pare d for a squirrels hunting methods, and that prey gos extinct, they could carry some bacteria that does the same things. It's a really big problem esp in an island environment.