Looking for information

[melissamarg]

Hi guys. I'm a cat rescuer and animal advocate here in the Midwest and I'm hoping to get some information. There is a small cemetery close to where I live (urban environment) and there have been 20+ squirrel corpses that have been found in there over the past couple of months, all bodies appearing the same--bloody nose and sometimes a bit of eating away at the flesh in that area.

Does this ring a bell with anyone as to cause? I've done a lot of Googling regarding poisons (and am thoroughly appalled to find that poisoning squirrels appear to be quite legit) and nothing I've found seems to produce a bloody nose. State and Wildlife have been informed but I am distinctly unimpressed by their theories although they have been responsive enough and will have an autopsy done when and if another body shows up. We have also tried to get the word out in the community and the gates are now being closed at night. If it's intentional poisoning maybe that will do the trick.

Would be grateful for any wisdom anyone might have to share

PS Can provide photos if that would help. Not pleasant

[SophieSquirrel]

Read this TSB thread from 2008: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?13438-Squirrel-with-Bloody-Nose

Sounds like the cemetery owners don't want squirrels digging up the lawn. You may want to check the area during the day for young squirrels or nests with young since the parents died. Look around the base of trees for small colored poison pellets (Rodenticide), usually red, blue or green.

Rodenticide

300123

[cava]

I agree it sounds like anticoagulant poisoning. Unfortunately, squirrels are considered nuisance animals and can be exterminated on one's property.

I found this article and I bet they are trying to kill ground squirrels and end up killing every animal that eats their bait. If you google "exterminate squirrels in a cemetery" you get lots of hits. At least these people are spending money to trap and relocate theirs:

http://www.madison-press.com/news/209587/wildlife-wrecks-cemetery-superintendent-says-ground-squirrel-burrows-50-year-old-problem

[melissamarg]

Thanks for the links which I intend to research. I think in this case we can rule out property owners as the cemetery is county-owned. And while I don't doubt county officials too can do heinous and idiotic things, in this particular case we know that this is not officially sanctioned

[SophieSquirrel]

(Ohio) Chapter 959: OFFENSES RELATING TO DOMESTIC ANIMALS

959.03 Poisoning animals.

No person shall maliciously, or willfully and without the consent of the owner, administer poison, except a licensed veterinarian acting in such capacity, to a horse, mare, foal, filly, jack, mule, sheep, goat, cow, steer, bull, heifer, ass, ox, swine, dog, cat, poultry, or any other domestic animal that is the property of another; and no person shall, willfully and without the consent of the owner, place any poisoned food where it may be easily found and eaten by any of such animals, either upon his own lands or the lands of another.

(C) Whoever violates section 959.03 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree

If you find out it is poisoning you can argue that feral cats have been seen frequenting the property and people have been seen with their pet dogs visiting the cemetery therefore exposing domestic animals to poison in violation of 959.03. Hopefully the Sheriff will investigate the situation. They will need evidence like a necropsy report or actual poison found on the cemetery grounds.