Theysa国际传媒檙e furry, cute and displacing their neighbours.

Roughly seven years ago, Thompson Rivers University professor Karl Larsen warned the City of Kelowna of the devastation caused to native red squirrels by the invasive Eastern grey ones.

READ MORE: Furry invaders continue to take over Okanagan

Moving up from the West Coast, the grey squirrels can be spotted in nearly every park in the Central Okanagan.

sa国际传媒淭here has been absolutely nothing done with the squirrels since (two years ago),sa国际传媒� said Larson. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 no monitoring, so I cansa国际传媒檛 even tell you where they have spread to. Zero movement from the government at all levels, and Isa国际传媒檓 pretty sure thatsa国际传媒檚 how it will stay. It seems like a dead duck in terms of management.sa国际传媒�

As they arensa国际传媒檛 territorial, grey squirrels move into areas where native red squirrels live. The red squirrels are forced out of their habitat as the larger squirrels move in.

READ MORE: Theresa国际传媒檚 a new invader in town

Bruce Smith, communications officer with the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, said nothing has been done because the squirrels havensa国际传媒檛 posed a problem.

sa国际传媒淣othingsa国际传媒檚 changed, theresa国际传媒檚 been nothing going from the (regional district) board and no direction from the board in this regard,sa国际传媒� he said, adding the squirrels havensa国际传媒檛 caused significant issues for the Central Okanagan in the parks or affected other the animals.

The regional district doesnsa国际传媒檛 have a specific threshold on when to decide to intervene, but if it starts to notice a problem, it will be addressed, Smith said.

READ MORE: Flying squirrels found to glow pink in the dark, including two from B.C.

READ MORE: Letter: Creating paranoia around squirrels

READ MORE: Squirrels are damaging some maple syrup operations

edit@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .