New Yorkers go nuts tackling squirrel menace

Gulf Today Report

Every now and then monkeys create havoc in government buildings in India's capital, Delhi. Around 4,000 -5,000 monkeys are believed to be residing around buildings in a VIP area of the city.

They pester residents of the area, attacking them for food and even break power lines. One report says there are at least five cases of monkey bites reported every day. Repeated attempts to ward them off do not seem to have yielded any results.

New Yorkers seem to be facing a similar predicament. This time it is squirrels, compounding their woes this virus-wracked year. And what's worse, they are vicious, which is quite strange as they can be a delight to watch.

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People living in the Rego Park neighbourhood of Queens have reported several squirrel attacks over the past month, with one woman needing emergency attention after a bite to the hand.

One resident told local media she leaves the house with pepper spray in case of encountering an aggressive squirrel or a pack, and others voiced fear for their children, according to Agence France-Presse.

"Next thing I know, it's a cage match and I'm losing," Micheline Frederick told the local ABC7 station of an instance that saw a squirrel bite or scratch her neck, necessitating a precautionary rabies shot.

The city's health department advised residents in a statement "to hire a New York State licensed trapper."

"Squirrels and many other small rodents are rarely found to be infected with rabies," the health department said, telling residents to report any animal they spot that seems infected to local authorities.

Most squirrels in New York City are of the eastern grey variety, according to the parks department, and along with pigeons are daytime's answer to the metropolis' vast population of rats that roam the nightscape.