Yosemite National Park Is Facing a Growing Issue From a Surprisingly Small Animal
Even the smallest animals can sometimes cause surprisingly major chaos. From invading your homes and damaging things to disrupting the local ecosystems, their actions can have wide-reaching effects. At times, the chaos grows so much that it demands immediate attention. Recently, the Yosemite National Park, one of America’s most popular natural attractions, has been facing a similar issue. Amid the beautiful views of valleys, waterfalls, and hiking trails, tiny squirrels are causing major problems for both visitors and park officials. Popularly known for their cleverness and adaptability, these creatures are creating safety issues.
The wild animals present in the area have been a familiar sight in the park, but visitors have now reported that squirrels are becoming increasingly aggressive. These tiny creatures have been seen harassing people by stealing their food and even acting violently on multiple occasions, as reported by the Daily Mail. Ashley Harrell, the National Parks Bureau Chief, recalled one incident in which a squirrel bit a man’s finger. The man, Ryan Rivers, completed a hike and was resting at the top of the iconic Vernal Fall. At one moment, he leaned back with his arms out, watching the waterfall, when a squirrel suddenly ran up and attacked him.
“He bit me!” Rivers shouted. Rivers is kind of used to the wildlife, so after a bit of analysis of his bitten skin, he called it just a nibble. However, as reported by SFGate, Harrell Stated, “It was the most aggressive action by a rodent that I had ever witnessed in a national park, and I’ve seen quite a bit of food-stealing at popular spots like Angels Landing in Zion National Park and at the T.A. Moulton Barn in Grand Teton National Park. On that Yosemite trip, the nibble turned out to be just the beginning.” The chief also said, “For the entire hour I spent at the top of Vernal Fall, squirrels were darting around constantly, trying to get snacks and oftentimes succeeding.”
Harrell further said visitors were leaving crumbs or feeding squirrels on purpose, even giving potato chips while taking photos, with no rangers around to stop them from doing so. She claimed that if rangers were present there, they could have warned people that feeding wildlife is harmful, as animals that rely on humans are at risk of accidents and predators. On the other hand, such rodents can also spread diseases. Several social media users also shared similar experiences as one X user, @DGolden_Rule, wrote, “Yosemite is my absolute favorite national park! Watch out for those squirrels, though, some of the most vicious I have ever encountered!”
Apart from bites and scratches, squirrels reportedly carry many diseases, including rabies, and are also capable of spreading bubonic plague, in rare cases, even hantavirus—both of which can be fatal. Recent studies have also suggested that squirrels carry Mycobacterium lepromatosis, a bacterium that is responsible for Hansen’s disease (leprosy) in human beings. However, it is not yet known whether these bacteria can be transmitted from squirrels to people, as reported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs.
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