Animals in the attic
Surge in squirrels and chipmunks is not cute to some homeowners
Chipmunks and squirrels and mice, oh my!
Wildlife experts and others have noticed that the small mammal population is burgeoning this summer. A surplus of acorns in 2018 has allowed animals that rely on hard-shelled food — namely the Eastern chipmunk and gray squirrel — to thrive, says Carolyn Mahan, a biologist and professor at Penn State University.
“They had a lot of offspring the following year,” she said. “So we’re now entering what we call a ‘peak cycle’ of chipmunks.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has given many people a front-row seat for this natural population surge.
“People are making a lot of really interesting wildlife observations being home,” Ms. Mahan said. “I think this is a phenomenon that may have gone unnoticed or would have been noticed less in other years as people were rushing back and forth to the office.”
The abundance of critters is not good news for some homeowners. At Three Rivers Wildlife Control, a Baldwin Borough-based wildlife removal business, the phones are ringing off the hook with complaints about squirrels seeking shelter and storing food in attics.
“I’ve never had a squirrel business like I do right now,” said Steve Ronick, who has worked for the company for 15 years.
Squirrels and chipmunks tend to go after bird seed, so Mr. Ronick recommends that his clients stop stocking bird feeders if they want to discourage furry invaders.
Despite the surge, Humane Animal Rescue’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center hasn’t seen an uptick in squirrels and chipmunks as patients. The Verona facility was closed for non-emergency cases during squirrels’ first breeding season. Senior clinic manager Katie Kefalos has seen fewer squirrels this year and about average the number of chipmunks, she said. However, she has noticed that people are more willing to help chippies this summer.
“People aren’t always as comfortable grabbing [chipmunks] as they are squirrels, since they’re a little bit feisty,” she said. “I think people are getting a little more comfortable recognizing if they’re injured and bringing them in.”
Small mammals seek shelter in homes to escape foxes, coyotes, hawks and other predators, which have enjoyed a greater supply of prey this summer.
“That’s how things are kept in balance,” Ms. Mahan said. “As the chipmunk population increases, the animals that feed on them can feed their offspring better.”
Small mammals have developed different types of warning calls to alert others of a predator’s presence, she said.
“If a chipmunk is out in your backyard and a hawk flies overhead, it will make a clucking call,” she said. “But if the chipmunk is outside its burrow and sees a house cat or a fox or even your dog, it will make a chipping call. It can be interesting to observe that wildlife communication.”
It’s not just squirrels and chipmunks that are driving people nuts, Mr. Ronick said. Raccoons, snakes and other animals that feed on small mammals have also accounted for more calls to Three Rivers Wildlife Control.
“This seems to be an abundant year for animals,” he said. “They’re all taking off.”