Zoo that lost 30 squirrels in typhoon 'recaptures' 38

National Jun. 29, 2012 - 03:45PM JST ( 58 )

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58 Comments

7

RecklessJun. 29, 2012 - 04:06PM JST

Lost 30 and recaptured 38. Is that Japanese logic? Does not compute.
9

Dennis BauerJun. 29, 2012 - 04:12PM JST

damn fast breeders :p
16

BlacklabelJun. 29, 2012 - 04:17PM JST

Man that would suck if you were a "free range" squirrel and you got captured and taken back to a zoo you had never never been in from the first place?
5

edojinJun. 29, 2012 - 04:18PM JST

There are eight squirrels in there that don't belong. Are they going to imprison these unlucky guys just because they were in the wrong spot at the wrong time?

And to top it off, the zoo keepers are still accepting more squirrels. For those of you squirrels who were born free, look out ... your freedom is now in peril if you live around Inokashira Park Zoo.
2

CletusJun. 29, 2012 - 04:21PM JST

But after days of trapping the sharp-toothed creatures, a spokeswoman for the zoo said the haul had been more successful than expected and a total of 38 had been “recaptured”.

Typical Japanese logic the "recaptured" 38 despite only losing 30..... Huh who wrote this rubbish. How can you recapture something that was never yours to begin with.

She acknowledged that the ranks of recaptured animals could have been swollen by the wild squirrels who live in the park.

Well duh thats a Captain Obvious if ever l have heard one.
3

Thunderbird2Jun. 29, 2012 - 04:22PM JST

Did they have a morning parade at the Stalag? They'll need to be doing a head-count to weed out the resistance spies.
2

SquidBertJun. 29, 2012 - 04:30PM JST

Seems the zoo squirrels were chipped so should be easy enough to test which are the real ones.
-1

JolienJMJun. 29, 2012 - 04:31PM JST

Did JT update the article? If not: read, people:

and Tsushima said keepers would be checking that all of those taken into captivity had the microchips the zoo implanted into its own squirrels.
1

tmarieJun. 29, 2012 - 04:45PM JST

She acknowledged that the ranks of recaptured animals could have been swollen by the wild squirrels who live in the park.

Ya think?

And yes, I doubt they'll let the other go and ditto on the "recapture" comments. It is amazing how editors let such things go.
-1

Badge213Jun. 29, 2012 - 04:58PM JST

Lost 30 but "recaptures" 38? hmmmm.........
0

Elbuda MexicanoJun. 29, 2012 - 04:59PM JST

Boy! Now I can sleep better at night! Don't want them pesky squirrels near my bed like Chip n Dale messing with Donald Duck in those Disney cartoons!!
3

cleoJun. 29, 2012 - 05:22PM JST

Don't see what all the fuss is over captured/"recaptured". Note the "recaptured" is in inverted commas, showing that the writer/translator is well aware that the 'extra' squirrels were not actually recaptured. The zoo thought they were recapturing their missing squirrels, when they counted them they had too many. It's a valid way of representing this.

As for the now-incarcerated (hopefully soon-to-be-released) wild squirrels - dat's wot you get for trying to grab a free meal, I suppose.
0

gogogoJun. 29, 2012 - 05:43PM JST

errr?
4

SquidBertJun. 29, 2012 - 05:52PM JST

@Cleo,

I guess the wild (Innocent?) squirrels will be released in about 15 years, when new DNA evidence prove they had nothing to do with the escape?
1

CletusJun. 29, 2012 - 05:54PM JST

SquidBert

I guess the wild (Innocent?) squirrels will be released in about 15 years, when new DNA evidence prove they had nothing to do with the escape?

Then they will be deported so they cant claim compensation......
-3

tokyokawasakiJun. 29, 2012 - 06:10PM JST

Let them go. They deserve to live in peace in the WILD, not with mobile phones pointing at them all day taking photos... SICK.
0

Franchesca Miyara YangJun. 29, 2012 - 06:16PM JST

SquidBert and Cletus just made my day! ROFL~
-2

tmarieJun. 29, 2012 - 06:16PM JST

Cleo, the title doesn't have "" in it.
4

moonknightskyeJun. 29, 2012 - 06:41PM JST

Zoo that lost 30 squirrels in typhoon recaptures 38

my braincells just died processing the headline
-2

FightingVikingJun. 29, 2012 - 07:18PM JST

No wonder they caught more than they lost! When a fugitive tried to give himself up, they didn't "recognize" him... so they just want to prove they CAN do their job... even if it means catching innocent "bystanders"...
-3

CletusJun. 29, 2012 - 07:22PM JST

Geez l hope they get names and remember to lock the back door. Then they will already be one step up on the J Flops....
-1

jessebaybayJun. 29, 2012 - 07:27PM JST

Poor animals. Getting a taste of freedom only to be locked back up. Extra sucky for the ones that weren't there to begin with.
-6

It"S MEJun. 29, 2012 - 07:40PM JST

Jesseaybay.

Poor little critters. Having an environment save from predators, ready meal at times, etc.

Can I have the same where I am pampered front to end and don't need to hit the company in the morning, etc.
0

tmarieJun. 29, 2012 - 07:43PM JST

And lo and behold, it has "" in it now!
2

OpinionhatedJun. 29, 2012 - 07:43PM JST

So a zoo has squirrels and they escape. I immediately thought they were a special breed of squirrel not to be confused with the local wildlife. That thought was reinforced by the effort to recapture them.

But no. They seem to actually be the local variety. How did those squirrels get to the zoo? From a breeder or something? Would it not have been easier and cheaper to procure them by the same means, rather than attempt to recapture specific squirrels? Or just capture any old squirrel and call it a day?

And what is with the microchips if these are not special squirrels? Just what in the hell are these people thinking and doing??
-7

PenfoldJun. 29, 2012 - 08:07PM JST

i've never met a micro-chipped squirrel, don`t they have fingerprints?
-1

Ganesan MuthuKrishanan MJun. 29, 2012 - 08:24PM JST

So, they want to put every single squirrel into zoo.? Why they are capturing local animals? For instagram_errors......
-1

spahnmatthewJun. 29, 2012 - 08:44PM JST

This article made my day.....LOL =)

Lost 30 squirrels, but "recaptured" 30 and captured eight? In short order the zoo will have a new species to exhibit...
-2

LowlyJun. 29, 2012 - 08:59PM JST

Like I said on the previous comments page, an invasive species can reproduce quickly and cause real harm. I hope they keep catching more, because I think there's a lot more out there.
1

OssanAmericaJun. 29, 2012 - 08:59PM JST

A ggod portion of these articles are often poorly translated and the usual JT Jbashing crowd always uses it to criticize Japan itself or all the Jp people. How about new act for a change?
1

sandiegoluvJun. 29, 2012 - 09:15PM JST

“We simply don’t know yet,” she said.

Now, that is funny. You think some of them might not be from the zoo? Hmmmmm. Let me think about that. That is a tough one.
-1

battambangboundJun. 29, 2012 - 09:22PM JST

Think of it this way. The squirrels that were born free will eventually be RE-LEESED.
-2

yumichanJun. 29, 2012 - 09:22PM JST

Oh oh ooo I see.... That is the reason... They become Zoo keepers..???
1

namabiru4meJun. 29, 2012 - 09:33PM JST

During questioning by the captures, the squirrels freely admitted that they were indeed escapees from the zoo. Thus, even if proven that they are not, their admission still holds higher than proof and will be kept confined.
-1

FadamorJun. 29, 2012 - 09:44PM JST

The whole article actually amkes sense now that the part about the "Caged 30" being implanted with chips. They've got 38 now, but I seriously doubt that includes all of the original 30,so that explains why they're still accepting more captures. Once they're positive they got the original 30 back, I'm sure they'll release the non-chipped squirrels into some neighbor's backyard. (Probably the neighbor who has complained the loudest about the noise coming from the zoo)
1

shanabelleJun. 29, 2012 - 09:45PM JST

run squirrels run! next time!
0

FarmboyJun. 29, 2012 - 10:17PM JST

i've never met a micro-chipped squirrel, don`t they have fingerprints?

If you can find the fingers, I'm sure you can get fingerprints.
1

TrentonGaijinJun. 29, 2012 - 10:30PM JST

Wow, a zoo with squirrels (now with 38!). If they've also got cats & dogs, it'd be worth a trip from anywhere....
-1

SerranoJun. 29, 2012 - 10:36PM JST

They had better not touch any of the squirrels who get their din-din from my bird feeder.
0

Blair HerronJun. 29, 2012 - 10:42PM JST

I would guess the writer/translator, and figure that whatever the Japanese said, it did not have same connotations at least.

Simple mistranslation.

AFP says “38匹を捕獲した” = “captured 38”

捕獲=capture 再捕獲=recapture

http://www.afpbb.com/article/life-culture/life/2886828/9186163
-1

BurakuminDesJun. 29, 2012 - 10:44PM JST

Free the squirrels! Someone needs to break in at night and free these furry friends, ASAP!
-2

Matthew SimonJun. 29, 2012 - 10:54PM JST

Haley Joel Osment "If I tell you a secret will you believe me?" Bruce Willis "Of course" Haley Joel Osment "I see squirrels" Bruce Willis "........"
-1

whiskeysourJun. 29, 2012 - 11:28PM JST

Probably they had over 100 of them and gave up counting them.

Is it me ? Or did they miscount ?? I have never seen free roaming Squirrels in Honshu, Japan.

Homeless Tokyo cats YESSSSSSSS but not free roaming squirrels NOoooooo. Never seen a squirrel walking around at any park in Tokyo.

Sounds like to me they don't know how man they have ?
-1

Pukey2Jun. 29, 2012 - 11:39PM JST

Sorry, but I just don't see why squirrels should be in zoos in the first place. What next, cats and dogs?
3

TahoochiJun. 29, 2012 - 11:49PM JST

Here's a silly question: If wild squirrels live in a park near the zoo, then why display captive squirrels in the zoo to begin with?
0

JohnBeckerJun. 30, 2012 - 12:22AM JST

Here's a silly question: If wild squirrels live in a park near the zoo, then why display captive squirrels in the zoo to begin with?

And why not sell "squirrel biscuits" to the guests? Turn a cost into a money maker!
0

Blair HerronJun. 30, 2012 - 02:08AM JST

Sounds like to me they don't know how man they have ?

Yes. That's what they said. The zoo did not know how many squirrels it had because they keep reproducing. Mashima said, "We say more than 40 squirrels must have gotten away in the first place.There are no wild squirrels inhabiting this area."

http://www.mmail.com.my/story/japan-zoo-says-missing-squirrel-numbers-no-mystery
-1

T-MackJun. 30, 2012 - 02:09AM JST

A Squirrel can run up your body and bite you 25 times before you can draw back your arm while trying to feed it. Not a good idea. I know first hand...and furthermore mixing wild and issolated squirrels will spread disease. Again, Not a good idea.
0

Wanda-kunJun. 30, 2012 - 03:43AM JST

Of course, only in Japan would you have squirrels, otherwise a common feral urban park dweller, in a zoo. I've never been to Ueno, but at Higashiyama in Nagoya they kept them in a cage next to house cats and they were flanked on their right by some small breed of dog.
1

Wanda-kunJun. 30, 2012 - 03:47AM JST

OssanAmericaJun. 29, 2012 - 08:59PM JST A ggod portion of these articles are often poorly translated and the usual JT Jbashing crowd always uses it to criticize Japan itself or all the Jp people.

While this may be true sometimes, articles like this are also typical of what passes for Japanese journalism - never ask the obvious follow-up questions and Who, What, Where, When, Why and How are largely overlooked but a person's age, whether germane to the story, is always included. In fact, you may be correct in this case about shoddy translation as the article lists none of the squirrels' ages.
1

oberstJun. 30, 2012 - 04:58AM JST

The 8 are obviously illegal aliens, they should self deport !!
-4

JeffLeeJun. 30, 2012 - 06:20AM JST

We still receive about four to five reports a day from witnesses,

The zoo was in a big grassy park. So every time someone spots a common rodent, they assume it's an escapee from a zoo?!? Well, only in urban Japan, I guess, where nature is to be tamed, not appreciated.
-2

LizzJun. 30, 2012 - 08:36AM JST

According to an account in Yomiuri, an unknown number of squirrels are being hunted out of a fear that they have lost the ability to forage for food (other than grass) or otherwise fend for themselves in the wild. One poor guy has apparently already died of exhaustion attempting to escape the chaos and baited traps of his evil captors....:(
-2

LizzJun. 30, 2012 - 09:24AM JST

Most likely these were a breed of less aggressive squirrels that were attracted to the country club life of a zoo animal rather than captured into it with force. Special concern of course has to be for most of the population that was born into an enclosure and completely habituated to humans.
-4

tmarieJun. 30, 2012 - 09:39AM JST

Like I said on the previous comments page, an invasive species can reproduce quickly and cause real harm. I hope they keep catching more, because I think there's a lot more out there.

But are they "invasive" species when there appears to be regular squirrels out there going about their business and not bothering anyone.

There is no need to have these poor things stuck in tine prison cells for the entertainment of the locals.
-1

It"S MEJun. 30, 2012 - 09:52AM JST

Those escapees are local japanese red squirrels.

They got a nice and roomy enclosure, you can walk through it with the squirrels running about around you.
1

Jerome_from_UtahJun. 30, 2012 - 03:33PM JST

Got the squirrels back with interest? Are you sure this Zoo isn't in Osaka?