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OFFBEAT

Police put aggressive squirrel behind bars

Police in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) published a video on their Facebook page on Wednesday, showing an officer at the station feeding honey to a cute little squirrel.

Published: 15 July 2015 15:19 CEST
Police put aggressive squirrel behind bars
Photo: Polizei Recklinghausen

The reason? The animal had just been 'arrested' and taken into custody, police said in a press release.

Earlier that morning, police had received an unusual emergency call from a young woman in Bottrop.

While walking down the street in the west German city, the woman found herself being chased by the squirrel.

Unable to shake the animal off, she eventually called the police for help – and an officer was quick to come to her aid.

 

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Bottrop: Eichhörnchen nach Verfolgung in Gewahrsam genommen Ein sehr ungewöhnlicher Notruf erreichte heute Morgen die Polizei in Bottrop. Ein Eichhörnchen verfolgte eine junge Frau an der Eichenstraße.Die Beamten stellten fest: das stimmt! Sie nahmen den Verfolger in Gewahrsam und brachten ihn zur Polizeiwache. Dort zeigte das Eichhörnchen erste Erschöpfungserscheinungen, denen die Beamten mit Apfelstücken und Honigtee entgegenwirkten. Frisch gestärkt soll es dann einer Auffangstation übergeben werden.———————-#Polizei#Recklinghausen

Posted by Polizei NRW Recklinghausen on Wednesday, July 15, 2015

After capturing the rodent, officers brought it back to the station, where it was discovered that the animal was showing symptoms of exhaustion.

The video, on the Polizei NRW Facebook page, has already been viewed around 12,000 times.

NRW police say the squirrel will be transferred to a rescue centre once it has recovered its strength.

SEE ALSO: 'Killer elephant' prompts call for wild animal ban

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Published: 14 February 2024 13:01 CET
Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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