Vaping Squirrels: Sweet Aromas, Deadly Consequences of Our Careless Consumption

Credits: @rawsalerts/X

I saw the video from a few days ago of the squirrel in Brixton gnawing on a disposable e-cigarette, or another squirrel holding it with its little paws, and in the comments several people find it cute and funny... but there is nothing funny about this behavior, it is far from funny! These animals are not imitating people who vape, they are not having fun, they are simply reacting to the sweet and fruity aromas of the liquids inside them, like strawberry, sugar, mango, etc... and end up ingesting plastic, nicotine, and even pieces of lithium battery with easily predictable consequences...

https://x.com/rawsalerts/status/2036538882712285534

But e-cigarettes are widespread everywhere and similar episodes have been recorded in the United States and New Zealand... not even pets are safe, dogs and cats often end up biting them, with concrete toxicological risks. The problem is that compared to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are full of artificial odors that make them look like food to animals, and are then left abandoned in parks and streets.

The truth is that the urban environment is invaded by waste that becomes traps for wildlife, how are animals supposed to distinguish between food and possible danger? We really risk confusing these animals... what is really happening is that our irresponsible consumption interferes with the lives of other living beings and therefore with the entire ecosystem.