Queens residents in New York are facing a serious problem with squirrels.
Several attacks have been reported in Rego Park, according to local news affiliate FOX 5 New York.
The Singh family from Rego Park told FOX 5 that their neighborhood has suffered about 20 unprovoked squirrel attacks since Thanksgiving.
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“They have been attacking people at random – attacking is anything from jumping on them to scratching and biting aggressively,” explained Vinati Singh on Wednesday. “We don’t know why it is happening.”
Other residents of Rego Park were attacked so severely that they were bloodied by the aggravated rodents, according to recent photos and videos shared by social media users.
Micheline Frederick, 56, told the New York Post that she was attacked by a squirrel on December 21.
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“The squirrel didn’t care, he just wanted something – he wanted blood,” she said. “For a few days later, I went out with a shovel, just in case, looking around.”
It is unclear why squirrels in this specific New York neighborhood are attacking.
“Squirrels and many other small rodents are rarely infected with rabies,” the New York Department of Health said in a statement. “If New Yorkers believe they observed an infected animal with rabies, they should report it to 311. Any resident who has been bitten should contact their doctor and report to the Department’s Animal Bite Unit.
Records at NYC Health show no positive cases of rabies among squirrels in 2020. Nor have there been any confirmed infections recorded in the past 10 years.
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“The New York Department of Health received a complaint about an aggressive squirrel in Rego Park and advised the property owner to hire a licensed New York State hunter,” a health agency spokesman told Fox News by e -mail. “We are actively working with residents to obtain more information about bite events and in coordination with the hunter.”
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The total squirrel population across New York City is unknown. (iStock)
New York City is home to the Eastern Gray Squirrel, according to WildlifeNYC, a government-backed educational campaign in the city. It is said that the breed is capable of reaching speeds of up to 15 mph and jumping more than 8 feet.
WildlifeNYC advises people to avoid feeding squirrels, to stay away from them when they are in sight and to seal houses to prevent nest infestations.