Baby squirrels freed after tails entangled by plastic

Rescuers were forced to anaesthetise the "distressed ball of squirrelly energy".

Source: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Wisconsin Humane Society

A US wildlife shelter has rescued five squirrels after they were discovered tied together by grass and plastic in their tails.

The siblings were admitted to the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in the US midwest and quickly placed under anesthetic. 

They were described as “distressed ball of squirrelly energy”.

A close-up of the intertwined tails. Source: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Wisconsin Humane Society

“It was impossible to tell whose tail was whose,” a post on the centre's Facebook page on Saturday read.

“Without quick and careful intervention, these little ones would have likely lost their lives.”

Rescuers identified long-stemmed grass and "strips of plastic" in the entanglement, which likely came from nest materials the animals had found. 

The operation took about 20 minutes to complete, and rescuers are still monitoring the condition of the squirrels' tails.

“We hope and expect they will all make full recoveries and will then be released into the wild,” the centre said.

The five squirrels after the operation. Source: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at Wisconsin Humane Society

“They are thrilled to be able to climb and jump, which juvenile squirrels need for proper development at their age.”

Eastern grey squirrels’ tails can grow to be 25cm long, and are used to maintain balance, provide warmth, and communicate with other squirrels.