Squirrels often star in cute cartoons and plush toys, but the real‑world critters are far wilder: they can glow pink, cause flight delays, and even become the center of a police arrest squirrel story. These nut‑loving rodents hide mysteries as tightly as they stash acorns—breeders have been struck by a mysterious virus, a purple squirrel baffled experts, a dead squirrel turned into high‑price art, and even the Prince of Wales is considering Nutella‑based contraception to curb invasive species.
10 The Home Wrecker
In 2014 a 64‑year‑old magistrate named Margaret Bousfield awoke to a cacophony echoing through her Hartlepool home. The alarm’s wail made her think a burglar was on the prowl, but the intruder turned out to be a soot‑covered squirrel that had apparently slipped down the chimney. The frantic rodent was desperate to escape, and the living‑room bore the evidence: sofas shredded, carpets torn, curtains ripped, and window frames mangled. A neighbor opened a window, allowing the critter to dart out in a flash. Replacements for the sofa and carpets were required, and the total repair bill topped £7,000, a hefty claim that the insurer ultimately settled.
9 They Glean Safety Levels From Birds
Birds typically panic at the sight of a predator, and other prey species, such as squirrels, have learned to hide when avian alarm calls sound. While this behavior is well documented, scientists in 2019 wondered whether the reverse could be true: could squirrels use bird chatter as a cue that danger had passed? Researchers in Ohio gathered a group of eastern gray squirrels—about 54 individuals—and played recordings of a red‑tailed hawk, a known squirrel predator. After the hawk’s shriek, the squirrels were exposed either to ambient noise or to the casual chatter of songbirds. Observations over three minutes showed that squirrels hearing the bird chatter emerged from hiding more quickly than those left in silence, suggesting they indeed rely on birds to signal safety.
8 New York Squirrels Are Tough
A 2014 investigation examined how urban squirrels adapt to the bustle of city life. Rural squirrels typically bolt at any approaching human, treating us as predators. However, the study found that city‑dwelling eastern gray squirrels in Manhattan’s Lower East Side behave more like seasoned New Yorkers: they largely ignore humans, navigating sidewalks and subways with confidence. Yet, they still react negatively to direct stares or other subtle threatening cues, sprinting away when they feel watched. This blend of fearlessness and selective caution appears essential for thriving alongside millions of human commuters.
7 The Squirrel Breeder Deaths
Encephalitis, or brain inflammation, can arise from many sources, but three German men who died between 2011 and 2013 presented a puzzling case. All three were hobbyists breeding the exotic variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides) from Latin America. Their symptoms progressed to coma and death, and standard tests failed to pinpoint a cause. Eventually, virologists identified a Borna‑like virus, VSBV‑1, in both the men’s brain tissue and the squirrels they kept. The virus, known for jumping between mammalian hosts, was confirmed in the squirrels, but its origin and transmission route remain mysterious.
6 Nutella Birth Control
It sounds like a joke, but Prince Charles actually backed a plan to curb invasive gray squirrels by feeding them Nutella laced with GonaCon, a contraceptive that reduces fertility in rodents by about 90 %. The Prince, a champion of the native red squirrel, helped convene experts in 2017 to combat the gray squirrel’s spread and the parapoxvirus it carries, which has decimated the red population to roughly 135,000. The Animal and Plant Health Agency proposed traps that only gray squirrels could enter; once inside, the animals would be smothered in Nutella containing the contraceptive, aiming to lower gray squirrel numbers without harming reds.
5 A Support Squirrel Delayed A Flight
Emotional‑support animals can be lifesavers, but when a squirrel becomes the designated companion, airline policies get tricky. In 2018 a woman booked a Frontier flight from Orlando to Cleveland with her squirrel, claiming it was a support animal. When staff discovered the passenger had not disclosed the animal’s species—rodents are prohibited on Frontier planes—they demanded she leave the aircraft. The woman refused, leading to police involvement. The standoff caused all passengers to be off‑loaded and wait outside for two hours before the woman and her squirrel were escorted off the plane.
4 Police Took A Squirrel Into Custody
Police Arrest Squirrel: The Unexpected Custody Tale
In August 2018, emergency services in Karlsruhe fielded a frantic call from a man being chased down the street by a hyper‑active baby squirrel. The tiny animal darted after him, refusing to let go. When police arrived, the squirrel, exhausted, curled up and fell asleep on the man’s leg. Officers nicknamed the sleepy critter Karl‑Friedrich and rescued the bewildered citizen. The squirrel was taken into police custody as a temporary mascot before being transferred to an animal rescue centre. Officials explained that orphaned baby squirrels sometimes latch onto humans as surrogate parents, a behaviour observed in two other squirrels rescued that same day.
3 Purple Pete
In 2008 a bright‑purple squirrel appeared at Meoncross School in Stubbington, baffling staff and pupils alike. Dubbed “Pete,” the animal’s fur was uniformly violet, not the usual gray, and no obvious stains or paint spots explained the hue. Experts ruled out a genetic mutation, suggesting the squirrel might have chewed on a purple ink cartridge from a nearby printer, then meticulously groomed itself, spreading the pigment evenly across its coat. The mystery of Pete’s coloration remains unsolved, but his story highlights squirrels’ penchant for nibbling on almost anything.
2 Dead Art
Italian provocateur Maurizio Cattelan is known for shocking installations, and in 2012 his piece “Bidibidobidiboo” featured a dead squirrel perched on a tiny table next to a miniature pistol. Displayed at the Whitechapel Gallery, the work sparked debate over animal representation in art. The squirrel, apparently a taxidermied specimen, appeared lifeless and surrounded by a cluttered kitchen setting, evoking a sense of melancholy. The piece had been loaned by collector Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, who had acquired it six years earlier, and it underscored Cattelan’s flair for blending dark humor with visual intrigue.
1 Flying Squirrels Glow Pink
When a professor in Wisconsin shone an ultraviolet torch on a flying squirrel in 2019, the animal’s fur emitted a bright fluorescent pink glow. While many reptiles, birds, and insects display fluorescence, mammals rarely do—opossums being a notable exception. To determine whether this was an oddity, researchers examined 135 squirrel specimens across the Field Museum in Chicago and the Science Museum of Minnesota. Only three members of the Glaucomys genus (flying squirrels) exhibited the pink fluorescence. Scientists hypothesize that this trait may aid nocturnal species in low‑light environments, assisting with camouflage, communication, or navigation.