Such is life, you think you’re doing the right thing, then find out you might be causing more harm than good.
A report in the Guardian today warns that Red Squirrels could be picking up potentially deadly bacteria from foods put out by animal lovers.
A letter submitted to the journal, Veterinary Record, claims that staphylococcus aureus (staph A) was found to be present in two of three Isle of Wight squirrels found dead.
Although the studies are not conclusive and do not provide a definite link, the matter is being looked into further.
The letter states “It is common practice for people on the Isle of Wight to provide the squirrels with supplementary food, and this raises the possibility that feeding stations may be contaminated by staphylococci of human origin.”
Helen Butler of the Wight Squirrel Project who is one of the co-authors of the paper, urged animal lovers to keep the feeders clean and keep the food fresh.
Read the Guardian article in full.
Image: Erik Peterson under CC BY 2.0
