Why Are There So Many Dead Squirrels On Connecticut Roads?

They seem crazy on the junk, they just run out in front of your car, they are like kamikaze squirrels. So what the heck is going on and why are there so many dead ones all over the roads?

Now seeing a dead squirrel or two around is nothing new, but I don't know if you noticed the sheer number of dead ones on roads all over. So what's the story, and why are there so many this year. I did a little research and believe it or not, there's actually a reason for the increase in these squirrels to throwing caution to the wind and making them easy targets on the road.

According to farmersalmanac.com, and a New England wildlife biologist, last fall we had a big surplus of acorns and other nuts, which turned out to be a lot more than usual. That, in turn, has led to a squirrel population boom. Yea, life was good.

Fast forward to this year, we now have more squirrels trying to feed their larger families with a back-to-normal food supply. The bottom line is that mommy and daddy squirrel are displaying a more erratic behavior and taking more risks trying to find the food they need to not only to feed their families, but to stock up for the winter. So this behavior, coupled with the panic factor of not having enough food this year, has led to increased road deaths.

So what about the darting back and forth in the road when you're approaching a squirrel?

Squirrels do this out of instinct to confuse predators, and since they see your car as a threat, your best bet is not to swerve to avoid them, but just drive in a straight line.

Don't look for the crazy squirrel activity to stop anytime soon. This behavior is expected to continue right through the fall season.

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