We haven't seen squirrels in the garden for quite a long time because two of our neighbours have been shooting them. They've got the message that we, and our friends next door are not happy about it and they've stopped. These people have been shouting the loudest about the rat problem yet shooting the squirrels has made the problem worse. Squirrels compete with rats for food so they help to control the numbers. They've also been shooting magpies and they help by taking ba by rats out of their nest and eating them. The neighbours who have have been shooting the squirrels and magpies are actually nice people in every other respect, they just don't understand about wildlife and the balance of nature. We're trying to educate them. The magpies are also making a comeback by the way.
