It’s Squirrel Week in New England: What You Need to Know About These ‘Dangerous’ Creatures

In the words of Clark Griswold’s father, Clark Griswold Sr…

Yes, it is officially Squirrel Week. A week aimed at raising awareness about the recklessness and overall dangers of squirrels in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.

The initiative was organized by Unitil, an electricity provider serving all three states. According to a release, the week will focus on the dangers posed by squirrels and steps that are taken to protect them from power lines.

Per Unitil, squirrels are responsible for over 11% of power outages in the area, thanks to chewing on lines and nesting on equipment. This may be difficult to read, but biting into an electrical line can evil kill a squirrel.

But Unitil External Affairs Manager Alec O’Meara is taking matters seriously, and issued the following statement:

“We’ve taken a proactive approach by installing animal guards and protective gear on equipment, but we all know that wildlife can be both sneaky and persistent, and sometimes animals find ways around these safety measures. Since we live in the most forested region of the country, we have to expect some unfortunate encounters with squirrels and other small creatures. It happens more often than people think and ‘Squirrel Week’ is one way to really highlight the issue and the efforts that are made to keep people and animals safe.”

Personally, I can relate to the nutty hellscape brought on by the squirrels of Northern New England. After all, I’ve been open about my battles with squirrels each Halloween.

On the other hand, I think about how we as people invaded their land long before they took to ours.

So, if you come across a squirrel, rather than "shooing" or even attacking it, let nature take its course. You know - by alerting the Seacoast's roaming family of black bears, or one of Exeter’s lurking bobcats to the presence of said squirrel.

Then, we can sit back, relax, and say…