Why a Squirrel Stashed 50 Pounds of Pine Cones in a Car

[Judi Lynn]

An American red squirrel chews on a pine cone, its favorite food, in Maine's Acadia National Park.
PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN GORDON GREEN, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE

Why a Squirrel Stashed 50 Pounds of Pine Cones in a Car
Many animals have discovered that human-made objects are even better than what's found in nature.
BY LIZ LANGLEY

PUBLISHED JUNE 9, 2018

NATURE CAN BE brutal—so it's no surprise some creatures find being around humans more comfortable, whether it's a place to sleep or raise their young.

Here are some animals that decided human habitats looked like better homes and larders. (Read more about urban animals in our series Wild Cities.)

Red Squirrels
When your car is making funny sounds, you never think the problem could be a stash of squirrel food.

Wildlife expert Marne Titchenell suspects a red squirrel is the likely culprit that recently stored about 50 pounds of pine cones under the hood of a young Michigan man’s car, according to the local TV station WVLT 8.

More:
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/06/animals-urban-wildlife-squirrels/?beta=true

[SharonClark]

1. Thanks for the warning

[dameatball]

2. That is so cute and also so sad, despite the outcome.

Nature moves at a slower pace generally than technology. The adaptations animals make is so very interesting. I remember when I was in college I had a rat build a nest under the hood of my car. I was poor and only drove it when necessary, so it sat now and then.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Our problem is mice.

My car sat for months in the carport, I drove it only to charge the battery.
we found a mouse nest under the hood, tucked up by the windshield area. and several chewed wires.

Just a couple of months ago, we discovered mice had eaten thru our old wiring from the heating unit, which is outside.
eventually we are gonna have to have new wires put in. sigh.

My problem seems to be no outdoor cats. can't let our 2 guys go out, tho, there is more danger for them around teh house, woods, etc. as we have found out in the past.
So..mice.
Mothballs, maybe?

[FirstLight]

4. As a kid we had an old tractor in the shed

Barely used it, only once in a while to work on grading the dirt road...

When we'd go into the shed we'd find it full of stashed acorns, and other things like washers, bolts, etc. We always assumed it was a pack-rat. But who knows if it was really squirrels?

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

5. Not sure if it was a grey squirrel or a wood rat but LOTS of Chestnuts were under the hood

of my Ford Pickup one year. Had to have wires replaced several times. Started leaving the hood up to discourage whoever kept moving in.