Cows, bad, squirrels good, apparently.
It’s adorably fluffy and is frequently seen scampering up the trees of British parks.
But the ‘invasive’ grey squirrel is widely regarded a pest by British authorities, as it’s outcompeting the red squirrel, the UK’s only native squirrel species.
Wildlife experts are even encouraging restaurants to serve up ‘nutritious’ grey squirrel to help curb populations of the non-native creature.
Exmoor Squirrel Project says grey squirrel meat is good served up in stews, pies and kebabs – even though there’s not a lot of meat on a single critter.
It’s probably a bit like rabbit. I’ve never much liked rabbit meat, so I suppose I’d probably not take to this, either. Not that I have any ethical issues. But aren’t we supposed to wait until we have had the okay from the vegans? Oh, and for those at risk of anaphylactic allergic reactions, the dish may contain nuts. You have been warned.
‘May contain nuts’. Like so many of these assertions about CO2, methane and the weather.
I would think that the current generation of grey squirrels would take exception to still being viewed as immigrants after being here for countless generations. My daughter went to Keele University, the campus is in a fairly wooded area and there are so many squirrels that they are a sort of unofficial mascot.
I once did the North Lincs Half Marathon, which passed through a wooded area, there was a flattened squirrel on the road and I quipped, “Looks like the squirrel got a DNF.” Nobody laughed, presumably they don’t like dark humour down there.
(DNF = Did Not Finish, no tee shirt or medal for you I’m afraid.)
There will be the usual unthinking screeching from the “all nature is cute and fluffy and it is eeeevil to kill them” types so nothing will come of it. Besides, you’d need some kind of gun to shoot them (an air rifle is ideal but unless you want to be arrested then don’t bother) or traps or snares which again will be objected to.
If squirrels looked like cockroaches, no one would be bothered about how many you killed. But they don’t so they do.
Squirrel are rodents. Eating them is a not a good idea, especially if you are trusting someone else to cook it.
Apparently verminous rodents are the only things strictly forbidden for eating byf an SAS trooper in the field, for good reason.
I’ll stick to beef on Sundays.
I’ve eaten squirrel at a gastropub, and can certify it does indeed taste like rabbit, only a bit more gamey.
The men who cleared the great American prairie of all those flatulent bovines were ecological heroes.
It really is time that their great green gift of delaying the Global Warming tipping point by a few picoseconds was recognised.
And then there are termites. Oh noes.
I’ve tons of squirrels in my woods but although I do like shooting the little b4$t4rds who wreck all my stuff, with their buddies Rats, in their relentless search for food I’ve never eater a Squirrel or a Rat.
Think I’ll save it for the apocalypse.
I have the rat problem sorted. Her name is Kiya – she’s a little black cat with a killer instinct and a preference for rats.
Our serial killer is called Max.
Ours is a tiny black and white female called ‘Suzy.’
I’ve had barbecued squirrel. It wasn’t the best. Very bitter because of the nuts they eat and the meat was tough and stringy.
Probably better as a stew, like rabbits.