SEVERAL baby squirrels which have been overheating in the sweltering weather are receiving care at the JSPCA Animals’ Shelter.
Jenna Baker, the charity’s veterinary department manager, said that five squirrels had been delivered to the charity in the last week alone – some just a few weeks old – with the soaring temperatures believed to be causing dehydration and driving them from their nests.
The clinical team have been hand-raising the creatures and administering pain relief and other fluids where necessary.
‘We’ve had five in within the last week, which is quite a number for us.
‘We feel they are leaving their nest – drey – because they are getting too hot and seeking coolness, and might be going too far out of the drey and falling out of it. It is very rare for us to get this many in a short space of time,’ Ms Baker said.
She noted that the heat would also be affecting the parent squirrels’ ability to feed their young.
‘One that we got in late last night – it was completely emaciated and absolutely starving and it did pass away, unfortunately,’ she added.
