Apparently, the most dangerous animal in the Grand Canyon National Park is not the elk, or the mountain lion - not even the rattlesnake. It’s the humble squirrel.
Just after I snapped this little fellow, he was preparing to launch himself at me, presumably in an attempt to rifle my pockets and bags for food. But although the tour guide’s flippant comment was that they’ll take the food right out of your mouth, the real reason they’re the most dangerous is that they carry rabies, hanta virus and bubonic plague, and they’re not afraid of people.
Yikes! Get away from me, you tree rat, you!
Cute though, ain’t he?
I think those are rock squirrels, no trees for that guy. did you have fun?
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I think, diseases aside, he is extremely sweet…and probably only wanted to give you a proper kiss!
Sandi
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Ah, I knew that plague exists in the Southwest, but I didn’t realize that squirrels were a problem.
Watch out for fleas.
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Dawn - Ah, that would explain it. They didn’t move like normal squirrels, more rat-like they were, scurrying low, instead of bounding, and their tails kind of dragged behind them.
Sandi - He was sweet. But I doubt he wanted to kiss me. He looked like a potential mugger to me! LOL!
Ruth - I had no idea! I knew it hadn’t been wiped out, and that it still existed in places like the Middle East, but no idea that squirrels harboured it. Surprisingly, I haven’t been bitten at all yet, and I’m touching wood on that one because any biting insect is usually all over me!
Yikes, That would scare me to death if one jumped on me.
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great snapshot — did you bite him?/
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LOL! Sounds like you’re having a great time! That little guy is cute if dangerous!
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Barbara - He didn’t actually jump on me, but it made me nervous that he looked as if he was about to!
Sandy - LOL! No - and I didn’t feed him, either!
Jenny - It’s certainly different from the UK! We don’t have jumping squirrels here! Fun, and cute, for sure!
Yeah, diseases from them are a worry……What is more worrisome is if you see them wearing a set of bandoleros, and look at you and say “Badges? We don’t need no steenkin’ badges.”
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Mr N - Ah .. a Blazing Saddles fan? Or are you going right back to Humphrey Bogart? LOL!
“Mr N - Ah .. a Blazing Saddles fan? Or are you going right back to Humphrey Bogart? LOL!”
I’m thinking Bogie……Blazing Saddles? “Son, you’re on your own..”
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My mum had a run-in with a skunk when we were there. It stole her breakfast and she was all for getting it back. I cautioned against this, mostly for olfactory reasons, but I am sure that they also harbour a few hoppy, bitey things. All things cute and dangerous!
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Awww! I don’t know if he would have jumped on you, but he may have tried to get a bit of a snuggle :). That’s how they sucker you into giving them food
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Mr N - I might have known you’d have seen both!
DBM - Your Mum saw a skunk? I thought they were nocturnal! Our tour guide cautioned us against getting too close though, and he said if we did there was no way we were getting back on the bus!
JT - There are notices all over the place telling us not to feed the wildlife, with a picture of a squirrel on them. People obviously still do, because they’re very bold. They’ve learned that tourists=food.
Jay! I can’t believe you didn’t make the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory connection!!! Shame on you x
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You already know my opinion of squirrels after my own Greyhound’s run in with them. Trouble makers…all of them!! Albeit I would rather run up on a killer squirrel than a rattler any day of the week! LOL
They are really cute… but I took my photos with a telephoto lens so as not to incur any flea bites!! (Plague! Ewwwwww!)
And that was a film camera - so it tells you how long ago I was there!
Enjoy the ride in Bryce Canyon - I think it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth!!
EM - Believe me, there were plenty of jokes at the time. OH and I were saying things like ‘watch that little guy, he and his friends will rush up any minute, pin us to the ground and all points, smack us on the forehead and steal our food’. LOL!
TJ - Yeah, I know! I thought of you at the time!
Jeannine - I have a digital compact with a 12x optical zoom. I didn’t want to get too close, either! A ranger died of plague last year, they told us - he found a dead mountain lion with kittens, and it turned out that’s what she’d died of. Very sad.
I don’t play with squirrels Jay…too afraid. You’re so brave.
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