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| Europe |
| Czech town spends $12,000 on squirrel bridge |
| 2005-09-21 |
| It's not exactly the Big Dig, but... A Czech town has built a 12,000 dollar bridge to protect a handful of squirrels from a busy road, without knowing if they will use it. The 23-foot high cable bridge attached to two trees spans a road that divides a large park in the town of Sokolov in the west of the country, near the German border. "We think this construction is unique in the world. I think so, too. I myself witnessed two dead squirrels on the road in the space of two months Back in Michigan, I'd see that many per day and I felt we had to do something," Sokolov mayor Karel Jakobec told AFP Thursday. At the moment the park is home to just three squirrels. So, it's about $4000/squirrel. "The idea is that instead of going down trees and crossing the road to get to the other side of the park the squirrels will go up and across. But we don't know yet if it will work," he added. Why did the squirrel cross the road? Most of the cost was met from a grant by Czech brewer Staropramen as one of 10 grants it awarded for ecological projects in the country. The remaining 40,000 koruna was funded by the town council. "We have already arranged for two more pairs of squirrels to be brought from an animal rescue centre and we are hoping that the squirrel population in the park will now grow," added Jakobec. Squirrels are a protected species in the Czech Republic. All right, let's take some of that reconstruction money for Iraq and build some fennec dens. |
| Posted by:Jackal |
| #10 Squirrel Elevated Highway = a single above ground telephone line. In the first instance the little punk rodents don't need anybody's stinking charity anyway. The best way to ensure a healthy, twitchy, aggressive and savvy lot is to screw with them often and just try to eliminate them from time to time through various means. They love a challenge and never shy from a fight or pissing match when properly provoked. |
| Posted by: MunkarKat 2005-09-21 23:14 |
| #9 Jeeze! And Ima bn shutn em up here. Shame on me.... |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-09-21 23:01 |
| #8 It's the "Hugh Hefner Approved"™ Viagra based squirrel food lol keeps everyone's nuts high and dry |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-09-21 22:22 |
| #7 Shoot, anybody knows that all you need to increase the local population of squirrels is to set up any number of "squirrel-proofing devices" around your bird feeders. I think they view it as a challenge or something; every time I try a new trick, the number of squirrels seems to double. |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H. 2005-09-21 22:09 |
| #6 ok, squirrels weigh next to nothing. Height, if connected to trees, is no consideration. Somebody got soaked here for about $11,980. All you need is two pieces of rope and "live" squirrels wwill use it/make it across |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-09-21 22:00 |
| #5 Hey, "It's the squirrel bridge to the 21st Century!" |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-21 21:54 |
| #4 How did I miss out on this boondoggle.....? shut up, ship, lol |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-09-21 21:52 |
| #3 A "Bridge Authority" will be necessary for maintenance, public relations, etc. I forsee at least three full-time jobs. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2005-09-21 21:37 |
| #2 ROFL, jackal, Phil! Dunno about before, but they'd better protect those squirrels - they're worth $4K each, now. $12K for some cable(s) stretched between 2 trees? Um, did it take like 1 Proj Director, 2 Mgrs, 20 Asst Mgrs, 42 Deputy Asst Mgrs - all with clipboards 'n stuff - and 2 guys wearing gloves? Lol - this story makes my day. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-09-21 21:33 |
| #1 Well, it beats moving the squirrels to Dallas. |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-09-21 21:27 |