I've been rethinking my approach to feeding Chip-Chip. Those rascally squirrels have been finding his food and possibly intimidating Chip-Chip in the process. I imagine he's feeling a bit oppressed by his change in fortune.
Just as the chipmunk population exploded in 2006, a parallel population explosion is taking place among the grey squirrels. Last week, I counted at least 8. They could easily vacuum Chip-Chip's reserves, chase him around the yard to push him out of their territory, or, worse, hold him hostage until I dump a 50-pound bag of premium sunflower seeds in their favorite chowing-down spots.
The conventional wisdom has been that as food becomes more abundant for chipmunks their populations will grow as a result. Then their predators will swoop down and eliminate the excess, the old, the weak, or the near-sighted chipmunks.
But now I have a new theory: As the food supply increases, competitors--bigger, meaner, less charming competitors--will do their best to take the chipmunk's food and run him out of town. If the predators don't get the squirrels--because, let's face it, not too many hawks or owls hang around a residential neighborhood, and stray cats don't always prove tough enough or fast enough to take on squirrels--then the grey squirrel population explodes, at the expense of Chip-Chip and his buddies.
Conclusion: In good times or bad, chipmunks just can't catch a break.
Just as the chipmunk population exploded in 2006, a parallel population explosion is taking place among the grey squirrels. Last week, I counted at least 8. They could easily vacuum Chip-Chip's reserves, chase him around the yard to push him out of their territory, or, worse, hold him hostage until I dump a 50-pound bag of premium sunflower seeds in their favorite chowing-down spots.
The conventional wisdom has been that as food becomes more abundant for chipmunks their populations will grow as a result. Then their predators will swoop down and eliminate the excess, the old, the weak, or the near-sighted chipmunks.
But now I have a new theory: As the food supply increases, competitors--bigger, meaner, less charming competitors--will do their best to take the chipmunk's food and run him out of town. If the predators don't get the squirrels--because, let's face it, not too many hawks or owls hang around a residential neighborhood, and stray cats don't always prove tough enough or fast enough to take on squirrels--then the grey squirrel population explodes, at the expense of Chip-Chip and his buddies.
Conclusion: In good times or bad, chipmunks just can't catch a break.
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