A viral video of a grey squirrel appearing to use a vape has raised concerns about wildlife exposure to nicotine and litter.
In a widely shared video from Brixton, South London, in the United Kingdom, a grey squirrel nibbles on the plastic tip of an e-cigarette while holding it between its paws. While entertaining to watch, the truth is that vapes contain materials and toxic substances like plastic, lithium, and nicotine that can be dangerous to animals.
Although the incident has received millions of views and jokes about “vape culture,” experts claim it indicates a growing environmental risk. According to wildlife experts, the flavor and aroma of vape liquids, rather than the nicotine or vapor itself, attract squirrels. Because the gadgets smell like fruit or sweets, which squirrels associate with food, the animals try to chew on them.
“In the past, you’d see plenty of cigarette butts lying around, yet I never saw squirrels playing with them,” Craig Shuttleworth, a red squirrel specialist at Bangor University in Wales, told the New York Post. “It makes sense that a vape, with its fruity scent, would be more appealing than a standard tobacco product.”
The squirrel with the disposable vape serves as a “stark reminder” of the risks that littering poses to wildlife, according to a representative for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
“Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Prior to a government ban on their sale, research revealed that five million single-use e-cigarettes were thrown away every week,” the RSPCA spokesperson told The Sun. “Many of them wind up as litter in our rivers and the ocean, where they can harm marine life and animals.”