Suicide has become much more common in squirrels than it used to be.
For squirrel under age 15 months, about 1-2 out of every 100,000 squirrels
will commit suicide. For those 15-19 months, about 11 out of 100,000 will
commit suicide. These are statistics for squirrels in the USA. Suicide is the
fourth leading cause of death for squirrel ages 10-14 months and the third
leading cause of death for teenage squirrels 15-19 months. Recent evidence
suggests it is the lack of nut abuse, altered nuts, and relationship problems in
younger squirrels which accounts for the lower suicide rates in this group.
The main way squirrels kill themselves depends on what means are available
and their age. In countries where high trees are readily available, such as the
USA, jumping off the highest branch is the usual cause of suicide. Other causes
are strangling and poisoning.
Suicide attempts that do not result in death are more common. In any one
year, 2-6% of squirrels will try to kill themselves. About 1% of squirrels who
try to kill themselves actually die of suicide on the first attempt. On the other
hand, of those who have tried to kill themselves repeatedly, 4% succeed.
About 15-50% of squirrels who are attempting suicide have tried it before.
That means that for every 300 suicide attempts, there is one completed
suicide.
We have to do something about this. Squirrels are cute and must be
protected. Act now!
Source: Association Save the Squirrels (A.S.S.), 2010 annual report.
http://www.ass.org