A man called Germany's police emergency number after being "terrorized" by a baby squirrel, police in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe said on Friday.
The squirrel so relentlessly chased the man that he felt he needed the police to help deal with the situation.
Officers dutifully responded and sent a patrol car to help.
The situation eventually resolved itself when the baby squirrel fell asleep. In the official police report officers wrote: "Squirrel will be new mascot, was baptized with the name: Karl-Friedrich." Followed by the message, "The squirrel has fallen asleep because of the shock."
Officers brought Karl-Friedrich — likely named after 18th-century German lawyer Karl Friedrich Eichhorn, whose last name is similar to the German word for squirrel — to the station where they arranged accommodation for the marauding creature. The rodent is now in a sanctuary and is well cared for, according to police.
Baby squirrels sometimes chase people, quite relentlessly, when they are hungry or otherwise in need of help.
In somewhat related squirrel news, a woman called Stuttgart police after seeing a puppy on the train tracks. It turned out to be a baby squirrel. At the end of July police in Bonn were called when someone heard suspicious noises in their basement. It also turned out to be a squirrel, which they nicknamed David Haselnuss (Hazelnut).
aw/rc (dpa)
Saving baby hedgehogs in Germany
Unusual weather has led to an increase in sick and weak mature hedgehogs and babies. Fortunately, in Germany, there are organizations that care for hedgehogs and the animals' abandoned babies.
Hedgehogs are wild animals. They are found throughout Germany and protected by the Federal Nature Conservation Act. However, human care of hedgehogs is allowed when the animals are injured or sick, but they must be released back into the wild.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Pleul
Human care allowed
This year was a wet summer in Germany and a fall that often switched between unseasonably cold and unseasonably warm. As a result, there has been an increase in weak hedgehogs found that must be taken care of if they are to survive, according to the Association for Species and Biotope Protection in Bavaria.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Karmann
Late breeding
Due to unusual summer weather, hedgehog couples bred late this year. As a result, many baby hedgehogs are younger, smaller and more inexperienced this year. Baby hedgehogs quickly need to gain weight before winter in order to survive. Hedgehogs usually hibernate in nests from October to April. During mild winters they can be active until November or December.
A hedgehog that weighs less than 400 grams (slightly less than a pound) by autumn is unlikely to survive winter. A nocturnal animal, if a hedgehog that is found in the garden or on the street during the day is likely sick or hungry. Signs of an unhealthy hedgehog include low body temperature, slow or shaky movements, infection and loss of spines.
A number of organizations care for sick hedgehogs in Germany. Hedgehogs are omnivorous. Animal protection organizations may feed weak hedgehogs cat food, eggs or ground meat. Milk and sugary foods are not good for hedgehogs.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/C. Huetter
Baby hedgehogs left on their own
In autumn, orphaned baby hedgehogs can be found. They are usually provided milk by their mothers for up to six weeks. But if something happens to the mother, the blind and deaf baby needs help.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/L. Lenz
Rolling into a ball
Hedgehogs roll into a ball to protect themselves from predators. However, cars are currently one of the greatest threats to hedgehogs.
Image: picture-alliance/R. Bernhardt
60 million years of time on Earth
Hedgehogs can often be seen in gardens throughout Germany. They are nocturnal and have a good sense of smell and hearing. Hedgehogs have been living on Earth for nearly 60 million years, making them one of the oldest surviving mammals.
