Squirrels in city parks have discovered vapes — and, oh well, now we have a nicotine squirrel problem
Like a cartoon, but real.
It seems the e-cigarette craze has taken a truly wild turn, with squirrels across major cities reportedly getting hooked on discarded vapes. This is absolutely wild, and honestly, a terrifying development for our urban wildlife.
According to the NY Post, viral videos circulating online show gray squirrels toting these automated smoking devices, treating them like a tasty snack. One clip, which popped up on TikTok, shows a squirrel perched on a fence in Brixton, South London, clutching a vape between its paws and appearing to chew on it. Another video from October, posted by TikTok user @tts_tiktok22, captured a squirrel in Philadelphia gnawing on what looks like an Elfbar.
Now, you might be thinking these critters are after a nicotine buzz, but experts believe it’s actually the fruity smells wafting from the vapes that are attracting them. Craig Shuttleworth, a red squirrel expert at Bangor University in Wales, pointed out that while we used to see discarded cigarette butts everywhere, squirrels never really ran around with them. He said it’s reasonable to assume a vaping device, with its sweet, fruity scent, would be far more appealing.
The real culprit here is anyone who litters
Unfortunately, the detrimental effects on squirrels could be just as bad as if they were actually seeking nicotine. Shuttleworth explained that squirrels could inadvertently consume microplastics from gnawing on the devices. Even worse, they could ingest the nicotine itself. He added that squirrels don’t encounter nicotine in the wild.
This isn’t just a couple of isolated incidents, either. A spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) called these occurrences a “stark reminder of the danger discarded litter poses to our wildlife.” They urged people to hold onto their litter until they can dispose of it safely and responsibly, noting that five million single-use e-cigarettes were being thrown out each week before a state ban on their sale.
Evie Button, an RSPCA Scientific Officer, discussed even more troubling examples in a 2023 blog post for the animal welfare society. She mentioned a bird in New Zealand that died after swallowing a vaping device and pictures of a squirrel trying to bury one in Wales. Button stressed that these are likely just the tip of the iceberg, as so many litter casualties, especially involving wildlife, go unseen and unreported.
It’s not just wild animals suffering from this discarded vape issue. Button also highlighted that the Veterinary Poisons Information Service has received 680 calls about vape incidents involving pets since 2017, with a staggering 96% of those calls concerning dogs. She wrote that there have even been reports of pets dying after consuming liquids from vapes, which is just heartbreaking.
Vapes, widely marketed as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, have been linked to a whole host of serious health issues in humans, including heart disease, dementia, and severe lung problems. We’ve seen several reports of teen e-cig addicts experiencing near-fatal lung collapses. The American Heart Association has even labeled the sharp increase in vape use among young people as a serious public health threat.
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