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Thread: NYC PROPOSAL TO BAN THE FEEDING OF SQUIRRELS IN ALL CITY PARKS - HELP!!

  1. #1
    my favorite squirrel Guest

    Exclamation NYC PROPOSAL TO BAN THE FEEDING OF SQUIRRELS IN ALL CITY PARKS - HELP!!

    The New York City Parks Dept. has proposed a ban prohibiting the feeding of squirrels (and birds) in all city parks. Parks would criminalize the act of feeding squirrels, punishable by high fines and possible jail time. While it may seem that the Parks Dept. is concerned with the welfare and health of the wildlife, it must be noted that the trees that once supported the habitat and natural food sources for squirrels are diminishing in our urban parks. The majority of the trees in these unnatural ecosystems have been planted for ornamental purposes only. NYC Parks Dept. also claims that feeding does not provide the nutrients squirrels need, which is also not true. Most of the regular feeders are well aware of what to feed them and some work very closely with licensed rehabbers to spot and rescue any squirrels in jeopardy. At the same time the parks dept. are expressing concern for the health of the squirrels, they are so aggressively putting down rodenticide in the parks that it is a rare week where you don't find multiple squirrel poisonings from the rodenticide. So..it is a crime to give them a hazelnut or walnut, but it is perfectly acceptable to poison them to death? There is something fundamentally wrong with this.

    Tourists would be unaffected by any tickets received as they are here for only a few days. Any ticket a tourist received would be nothing more than a souvenir for them to take home. On the other hand, a ticket or the threat of jail time would present a definite hardship for our seniors and other marginalized groups for performing a simple act of kindness and compassion for the parks' squirrels.

    The Parks Dept. also claims that feeding the squirrels is the cause of the rat problem in the parks. It is truly disturbing that the Parks Dept. does not ever address the concessions and outdoor restaurants that generate an excessive amount of garbage and litter. Many park patrons do not dispose of their leftovers and they are left on the benches and ground. Instead of addressing this, the Parks Dept. is scapegoating the people feeding the squirrels by diverting attention from the restaurants and concessions that bring income to their coffers and directing it to the people who feed the squirrels.

    Parks Dept. is also claiming that feeding the squirrels lessens their wariness of humans and exposes them to danger. The squirrels that live in these urban parks ( and some of the parks are very small) are constantly exposed to park patrons and feeding or not feeding them will not decrease their wariness of people. After many years of being so close to people, (who they can't escape) they are quite accustomed to people. You can't expect the squirrels in these designer parks to behave and forage as they would in the wild. These NYC parks are not the wild!

    Finally, Parks Department has shown a complete lack of transparency and an alarming disregard of public opinion. While several influential Manhattan based organizations have seemingly been successful in securing exemptions to the rule change that would further their agendas, the voices of average citizens, local grassroots organizations and activists are being ignored. This is very troubling since over 90 percent of the New Yorkers aware of this proposal are opposed to it. They have expressed opposition in online polls, at the City Hearing for this Proposal and letters to the editors of major newspapers. The Mayor has also expressed a desire to learn more about this proposal, but the Parks Dept. hits back with the statement that they don't require City Council approval for this rule to be adopted.

    I am posting this plea for help on this matter because the people who have been looking out for the squirrels are already being intimidated. This is especially true of some of the people from immigrant communities who were very helpful to the rehabbers. If this proposal passes, many people may be reluctant to risk contact with park enforcement and this will be detrimental to the urban park squirrel population.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Default Re: NYC PROPOSAL TO BAN THE FEEDING OF SQUIRRELS IN ALL CITY PARKS - HELP!!

    You would think they would be busy with other matters of life in NYC

  3. Serious fuzzy thank you's to little susie from:


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