They’re obnoxious, destructive and pushy, and they’re causing the city of St. Paul, Minnesota to forgo the city’s annual holiday light display at a downtown park due to the damage they caused last year, the Associated Press reports.
And the display is not being undermined by protestors or religious fanatics. It’s being canceled due to squirrels, the arguably cute little rodents that are chewing through the lights wires. The vendor that installed and maintained the light display in Mears Park declined to continue the contract because of the cost and hassle of repairing the damage done by the furry creatures, who are attracted to the coating of the wiring.
Park visitors who feed the rodents have spoiled the squirrels, who now seek out easy food sources. The squirrels are reportedly attracted to corn syrup used in the protective coating of the electric wires.
The park group has had to switch from lights in the trees to a projection of decorations around the park. “People look down from their condos or apartments and they want to see the twinkly lights,” Ann LaBore, co-chair of the friends group, said. “Well, we can’t have twinkly lights. It was probably this or nothing.”