Look out, its diseased chipmonks coming in next

[Al.Thepastfinder, ( Alan )]

Britain is set for an invasion by thousands of diseased chipmunks coming from France, experts have warned. Skip related content
Related photos / videos Diseased Chipmunks Could Invade UK Enlarge photo The animals are known carriers of ticks which cause Lyme disease and can also pass on rabies.

Warnings about the chipmunks potentially coming to the UK were issued after thousands of them were found living in Paris.

The Siberian Chipmunks have been appearing more and more around tourist spots in the French capital following a summer of good weather.

Nature experts fear tourists will pick up the animals and put them in their bags or car boots and bring them across the Channel to Britain.

The chipmunks are also being sold for under £10 in French pet shops, despite warnings about the potential risks of keeping them.

Jean Louis Chapuis, a French researcher into the chipmunk problem, has stressed it is dangerous to sell them as pets.

"Lyme disease is a terrible condition, and the chipmunks are a major carrier. These rodents are not shy, and in fact very approachable."

The Siberian Chipmunks are thought to have spread across Belgium and France after 17 were released at an amusement park in Brussels in 1980.

An estimated 100,000 are now living in northern France.

Naturalist Guy Bruel said: "There is a particular problem in the woods around Paris, attributed mainly to people who have bought the animals as family pets and then got rid of them.

"This is just the type of behaviour which will lead to the chipmunk getting to Britain in huge numbers, possibly as early as this summer."

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

They are already here actually , -------- Millsy , Stig and Digga        .. Nah only kidding Digga.

[hedgehog]

That's interesting Al , I wonder if our grey squirrels would sort 'em out.
Never heard of Lyme disease before, it's spread by the ticks that live on the chipmunks
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/lymedisease.htm

[mole]

Congratulations Rob  that got to be one of the funniests posts on the forum bud your wasting your time detecting you should be a comedian bud

[vitallius (Dave)]

Were ready for em Ha Ha 

[DIGGA]

THANKS    FOR  THAT   TAFF ,,,,, YUOLL KEEP ,,,, SEE YA  AT THE RALLY