Every spring, a new litter of ground squirrels make its way to the surface of Palisades Park, eventually becoming accustomed to people and their delicious handouts.
But the city of Santa Monica is reminding the public not to feed them. There are even red and white signs that tell people feeding the local wildlife “creates an imbalance in native ecology” as they become dependent on humans.
There are, of course, a host of other problems associated with feeding the small rodents. They carry parasites and diseases such as the bubonic plague, rabies and lyme disease that can be transmitted to people while feeding them. Their droppings also carry a health risk.
Then there’s what they can do to the land. Though the California ground squirrel is native to the area, its burrowing can contribute to coastal erosion, especially along the bluffs above Pacific Coast Highway.
The 26-acre seaside park sits at the top of the bluffs and is heavily used by locals and visitors, many who stop to admire the four-legged rodents and feed them.
“We start to see more ground squirrels in Palisades Park every spring,” said Tati Simonian, spokesperson for the city of Santa Monica. “Just like the guidance in many parks and as it says on the signage in the park, we ask visitors to not feed the squirrels.”
Ground squirrels at this park have long been a problem for the city, which has been cited by the county for overpopulation and has tried a number of suppression methods, including poison, gassing and euthanasia, angering animal-rights groups.
In 2007, the city planned to control the population of ground squirrels by giving them birth control shots.
Despite these efforts, the ground squirrel population continues to grow in this progressive town.
But Santa Monica is not the only community dealing with these creatures.
In 2019, a lack of predators allowed the ground squirrel population to grow at Tres Hermanos Ranch in Chino Hills. In San Pedro, at Point Fermin Park, residents and visitors have been excessively feeding the ground squirrels that its population there has increased in recent years.
In San Diego last year, residents reported seeing more than the usual number of ground squirrels including at Liberty Station.
The post Squirrels are threatening to overrun a Santa Monica park — friendly visitors are partly to blame, city says appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
