Steve's Animal Food Pantry BUSTED

As most of you know Dad is fascinated with squirrels.  There were lots of Columbia Ground Squirrels at the Wabasso Campsite in Jasper.  Dad would put salted peanuts out on the log so the squirrels would come in to have their photograph taken.  The peanuts were always consumed almost immediately so no evidence was ever left.  Dad was also heard singing the squirrel songs he learned a few years back from cousin Finley when we went camping together at Island Park.  He got a few pictures of squirrels on the log. 

Soon the squirrels were performing acrobatic tricks in the trees for the generous photographer. 

On Friday morning we finished a package of Life cereal and rather than throw away the crumbs and stuff in the bottom of the bag Dad decided to put it out for his new pals the squirrels so dumped it out on the concrete support that held the log the squirrel had posed on after eating the peanuts.

When we returned to the campsite that evening we found a paper of WARNING left by the Ranger on the concrete support for leaving human food in the campsite.  This apparently is HIGHLY against the rules in Canadian Parks and the Rangers walk through to check every day to make sure all camp sites have nothing left out to temp animals to eat human food.  The paper was checked that the ranger had found “grain & sugar” left out and that he had removed it at 14:30 pm.  The notice went on to make threatening statements about being kicked out of the campground if food was found left out in the future.

So the squirrel whisperer will just have to resort to singing the squirrel song in the future – no baiting with human food.  

NOTE:  This may not be a bad idea as the same rule breaking photographer mentioned in the incident above took this picture at the exit of the same Wabasso Campground as it joins the road.  Sure would not want this little animal coming to eat the “grain & sugar” at the animal food pantry.