Squirrel dubbed 'very mean' and 'aggressive' causes ruckus in California

CapeTalk's Clarence Ford speaks to Barbara Friedman about trending online stories.

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An "aggressive" squirrel has taken to the streets to attack residents in San Rafael and Lucas Valley neighbourhoods in California.

The young squirrel, who was likely raised by humans, bit several people and sent at least two residents to the emergency room, according to wildlife experts.

Earlier this month, flyers were posted throughout the Lucas Valley neighborhood warning of a "very mean squirrel" attacking people. “This squirrel comes out of nowhere and will attack,” the flyers read.

Reports indicate that at least two individuals required emergency medical treatment after being bitten. One woman said she was out for a walk when the squirrel lunged at her, clawing and biting her legs badly enough to necessitate a trip to the ER.

Alison Hermance, director of communications at WildCare, a wildlife rescue center in San Rafael, said the squirrel was almost certainly hand-raised by humans.

"When an animal shows this kind of aggression, it usually means it wasn’t raised to be tame," Hermance explained. "It was raised without learning to fear people and that’s not something that can be undone."

Hermance added that the squirrel hasn’t been spotted in the area recently and is likely dead. Animals raised by humans often lack the survival instincts to avoid predators or cars, she said.

Even if the squirrel had been captured, euthanasia would likely have been necessary. “Once a wild animal becomes aggressive toward humans, especially if it lacks fear, it can’t safely be released back into the wild,” Hermance noted.

"I suppose the moral of the story is, the squirrel is not the villain, we shouldn't be feeding animals," says Friedman.