Comments on: What a Squirrel Wants – #Squirrels4Good

By: Sandicats5

Sandicats5 — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:44:00 +0000

Thanks for the cute pictures. I’m still smiling!

By: Renfas

Renfas — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:35:00 +0000

Good for you, Maruka! We, too, love our little squirrel friends that live in our NWF Certified habitat. During the winter, we helped them survive the cold by welcoming them onto our porch to feed. We made sure there was plenty for everyone, birds and squirrels alike.

By: Sharon R Chace

Sharon R Chace — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:35:00 +0000

An elderly friend in my church would love the pictures of the squirrels. She feels that she kept one alive over the winter with gifts of food. No acorns this year in Rockport, MA. Is there a way I could copy them for her. She does not have a computer. I myself at age 67 am just learning face book.

By: Lyndap

Lyndap — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

The only thing I don’t like about the squirrel that visits our Certified Wildlife Habitat yard is that he gobbles up all the bird food and is expensive to maintain.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Hey there Anne! Thanks for your comment. I think this is a very important topic that I didn’t mean to trivialize by highlighting our supporters photos. I think you would make a great guest author on the negative effects of feeding wildlife. Would that be something you’re interested in? Feel free to email me: brigidad@nwf.org

By: David Mizejewski

David Mizejewski — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Thanks for keeping us straight on this point Anne. You are absolutely correct that squirrels are wild animals, not pets, and we shouldn’t treat them that way (not that you should feed your pets ice cream cones). NWF does not recommend artificially feeding wild animals for all the reasons you mention. (Backyard bird feeding in moderation is ok, given that birds don’t become dependent on feeders or habituated to human presence the way mammals do.)

Our Certified Wildlife Habitat program recommends feeding wildlife naturally through native plants and the insects they support. (See http://www.nwf.org/garden)I don’t know the exact circumstance of the ice cream cone picture above, but my guess it was snapped in a public space where the squirrel scavenged the cone from the trash or the ground where a child dropped it, rather than deliberately being fed it.Still, your points are well taken and perhaps we got a little too enthusiastic over the cuteness of squirrels in choosing to display that particular image. I hope this clears up NWF’s stance on feeding wildlife.

By: SquirrelsRCool

SquirrelsRCool — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:09:00 +0000

I wholeheartedly agree-
Perfect explanation.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:03:00 +0000

Well, I will contradict myself.
Help them when they NEED it most urgently, like when they’re hurt or something, not any other time.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:02:00 +0000

That sounds like lots of fun……
I wish I had that too.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Cute pictures, but like Anne Muraski said, photos of feeding wildlife…..
The best way to help them is to let them live their own lives, and not destroy their habitats. Its the same way with all animals!