Sciurophobia

"Spinning squirrel on Randy
Lindorff’s birdfeeder" (WSJ)

In their loneliness and boredom home-shelterers are befriending backyard squirrels:

For people whose social lives have ground to a halt during the pandemic, squirrels are a cheap date. Sales of squirrel feeders are up. A video featuring a squirrel obstacle course designed by a former NASA engineer scored more than 28 million views in less than a month. Some squirrel watchers are bonding with the rodents, even welcoming them into their homes.

But remember the wet-market bats? The Washington Post reminds us on June 19th that animals can possibly transmit the coronavirus to humans (and vice versa, by the way):

After reports of infected dogs emerged from Hong Kong, they said there was no evidence animals could transmit the virus to humans. Now, the CDC says there is no evidence animals “play a significant role” in transmission but advises socially distancing pets from non-household members and isolating pets from people with covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

I don't mind the squirrels taking the occasional fruit, but it's irritating that they leave it half-eaten on the lawn. And now they can potentially kill us, too. It's a nutty, squirrelly world.