A troop of fat, hungry squirrels has put the kibosh on a downtown St. Paul park鈥檚 holiday lights display.
Friends of Mears Park in the Minnesota city had to forego the usual display this year because squirrels chewed through the lights鈥� wires last year and the vendor refused to put up with the headache and cost again this year, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Tuesday.
The wires, it turns out, were coated with polylactic acid, a derivative of corn sugar, an appealing appetizer for squirrels spoiled by park visitors who won鈥檛 stop feeding them, said Ann LaBore, co-chair of the friends group.
鈥淭hey try and lead them around the park,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ne guy was trying to get one to jump on him. It鈥檚 a little disturbing.鈥�
Instead of the traditional display, the friends group is using a projector to create a kaleidoscope of snowflakes and base lights that bathe the trees in green and blue. LaBore said she鈥檚 gotten complaints that the display is far too anemic this year.
Blame the 鈥渢ree rats,鈥� La Bore said.
鈥淧eople look down from their condos or apartments and they want to see the twinkly lights,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ell, we can鈥檛 have twinkly lights. It was probably this or nothing.鈥�
鈥擳he Associated Press
