Save The Squirrels, Agian

[ksamuiguy]

It is happening again, the squirrels are disappearing from Samui.

I live in a large coconut plantation and after the last big die off of coconut trees it was determined that the absence of "Natural Enemy" of the larva that was killing the trees were disappearing on the island.

When the squirrels were reintroduced to our island the dying of of the Coconut trees slowed down and seemed to stop. What happened to the squirrels (this subject was covered on this forum 5 or 6 years ago.

 

Over the last 6  months the squirrels have disappeared again. I use to observe 10 to 20 squirrels a day in my yard, whole families playing and transiting our property and all over the coconut trees.

About 2 months ago the Squirrels disappeared! I have also noted that many coconut trees have a orange band around them indicating that chemical have been used on the tree.

 

Bring the Squirrels back. As we know people have short memories. It was band to harm these creatures but now no one seems to care. The chemicals used will eventually taint the reputation of the coconut industry.

 

[notmyself]

Basically, they are being eaten into extinction. Enter stage left a squirrel trap.

 

 

It could and has been argued that only some are being eaten and point of the traps is because squirrels are a pest but I've never seen any evidence that that is the case. Do you have any building going on along the periphery of your property because an itinerant workforce living on site could do a lot of damage to the local population.

 

Often had conversations  over dinner or some such and it seems to me that many Thai's are uninformed about the subject so a public awareness campaign would be of help. It would, if nothing else, show whether it is down to lack of knowledge or lack of giving a [word].

 

[PoorSucker]

Troll posts removed. 

[notmyself]

 I say itinerant workforce because eating squirrel meat is not really 'endemic' to Samui or even southern Thailand for the most part. Samui is and has been for maybe 3 decades a fairly affluent place due to tourism so hunting small game is going to be lower than in other places for economic reasons alone.

 

It's crazy really. The reintroduction  (population enhancement) was a direct result of research into the problem.. the red palm weevil (or was it yellow) was expanding at an alarming rate because its predator was being eradicated by human activity. Awesome, great, wonderful but if you don't tell anyone why then you are simply restocking the fridge. Not that they care about the coconut palms anymore, if I my be so bold as to say.

 

Could be a long term conspiracy plan. I understand there are some restrictions regarding the wanton chopping down of coconut palms? Actively introduce something (weevil) into the land and just kill the palms off. No permit required.

 

How do you know the orange bands are the cause of the decline in squirrel numbers? Correlation is not causation. I don't recall seeing rings around here so if you post a picture I'll ask around.. My friend Sow's sous chef will likely know.

 

 

Lady on the right.

 

Speaks not so much English but damn she's good to talk to and I do generally have a translator at hand if needed. This paint, spray, whatever, could be some woo woo voodoo [word] like scattering the entrails of a goat in a circle around your house to protect from ghosts/evil spirits.

 

I like Mondays so I'll carry on....

 

See the picture I posted of the trap? It was nailed to a coconut palm.... 

 

[Tropicalevo]

I live at the NE end of Samui and here the squirrels are still making a comeback. Mind you, most of the coconut trees have now gone thanks to the Red Palm Weevil.

 

The squirrel population was decimated a while back as it was a favourite snack of the construction workers when Isan was the source of recruitment.

 

When the minimum wage was increased by a previous government, the Isan workers returned home and the Burmese became the construction worker of choice. It is believed that they did not enjoy the flavoursome squirrel and so the squirrel population began to recover. Mind you, I do recall a few local restaurants having squirrel as a main course item back at the turn of the century. I have not noticed them of late as I do not go those restaurants any more - they have become too expensive and just cater for tourists.

 

Does the orange band on the tree really mean that it has been treated? A few friends have asked me if I know what the orange band signifies.

 

DDT used to be the poison of choice back then. Mind you, with the red palm weevil - you have to treat every tree! If you start to treat them when the leaves have started turning grey/silver - the tree is already beyond saving. (The larvae of the weevil burrow down and eat the soft centre of the trees leaving a hollow trunk and a slow, lingering death.)

 

The only way to kill the larvae which are inside the trunk of the tree is to cut it down, saw it up into one foot long lengths and burn it.

 

Another 'remedy' for the  larvae were Vietnamese bees. An entomologyst invited here by the Rotary club back then recommended that we should NOT bring in non-native solututions as they would also have no natural enemies here on Samui and so may themselves become a problem.

 

It is believed that the Santaburi golf club did bring in the Vietnamese bees to solve the problem there.

 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2018 by Tropicalevo

[notmyself]

10 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Mind you, I do recall a few local restaurants having squirrel as a main course item back at the turn of the century. I have not noticed them of late as I do not go those restaurants any more - they have become too expensive and just cater for tourists.

 

Dam n. And since squirrels are not farmed they all have to be taken from the wild. Humans are a really bad invasive species.

 

...

 

Two species sitting in a bar.......

 

'went to see the doctor today, bad news'

'really, what he say'

'said I have an incurable disease'

'omg, is there nothing that can be done? no hope'

'terminal apparently'

double 'omg, what's it called'

'humanity'

'

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by notmyself

[notmyself]

11 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Another 'remedy' for the  larvae were Vietnamese bees. An entomologyst invited here by the Rotary club back then recommended that we should NOT bring in non-native solututions as they would also have no natural enemies here on Samui and so may themselves become a problem.

 

Yep. Like cane toads in Australia or the accidental introduction of crayfish into the UK. Did you know that if you happen to catch a crayfish in UK waters, it is illegal to put it back.

 

You mention that the Burmese are not fussed with eating squirrel but those from Isan are. From what I have seen it is geographical with relation to latitude and extends as far east as the shores of mid to northern Vietnam. Would love some additional data on this if you have any.

 

 

 

 

[notmyself]

On ‎12‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 11:50 AM, notmyself said:

 This paint, spray, whatever, could be some woo woo voodoo [word] like scattering the entrails of a goat in a circle around your house to protect from ghosts/evil spirits.

 

Yep. The monks do it to indicate certain trees should not be cut down for reasons associated with luck, good spirits and such.