Absolutely nuts
Squirrels are apparently also getting hooked on vaping these days, as seen in a viral video that is circulating online.
In Brixton, South London, a squirrel is seen holding automated smoking device while perched on a fence, as reported by The Telegraph.
The grey squirrel is seen clutching the device between its paws while appearing to chew on it.
A similar incident was reported in 2024, as TikTok user @carly.dane posted a video of a squirrel with a vaping device.
And the experts have explained just why these squirrels were attracted to the device.
It wasn’t due to the nicotine, contrary to what many may think. Rather, the fruity smells coming from it is what attracted them, experts said.
Red squirrel expert at Bangor University in Wales, Craig Shuttleworth, told The Telegraph that “in the old days, you’d see lots of discarded cigarette butts, but I don’t remember squirrels running around with them”.
“It would be reasonable to assume that a vape would be more attractive than a normal tobacco product that’s not fruity.”
However, they could ingest the nicotine nonetheless.
Shuttleworth said that the animals could also ingest the nicotine, as they inadvertently consume microplastics by gnawing on the vaping devices.
“They don’t encounter nicotine in the wild, so like many chemicals, it’s something you don’t want them exposed to,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), meanwhile, said that this incident is a “stark reminder of the danger discarded litter poses to our wildlife.”
“We would urge people to hold on to their litter until there’s an opportunity to dispose of it safely and responsibly,” they said, noting that five million single-use e-cigarettes were thrown out each week prior to a state ban on their sale.
RSPCA Scientific Officer Evie Button said that the Veterinary Poisons Information Service has received 680 calls about vape incidents involving pets since 2017, 96 percent of which concerned dogs.
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