Elderly man hospitalised with 'significant injuries' after being attacked by squirrel

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Not just a cute face

An elderly man has been hospitalised after sustaining "significant injuries" during a squirrel attack in America. The 78-year-old, whose identity has not yet been reported, was attacked in the city of Slidell, Louisiana on Tuesday. The local police department informed local residents on Facebook, noting that this is the second such attack this year. As they explain in the lengthy caption, the officers were called to the scene after the 911-caller reported the pensioner was being "actively attacked by a squirrel" who was said to have been "eating his hand". Being attacked from the roof of his house, the individual is thought to have tried choking the squirrel but was "unable to obtain a good grip" and was still struggling with the creature when first responders turned up.

While the elderly gentleman was transported to a local hospital for his injuries - "some of which were pretty significant", according to Slidell PD - he is expected to make a full recovery. On the other hand, after being subdued, the squirrel later died of its injuries.

As alluded to above, the most interesting part of this entire story is that it's not even the first time it's happened in this state and this year, even. An incident was reported during the Mardi Gras parade back in February, which put a dampener on the festivities. Closer to home, reports of squirrel attacks aren't all that rare either: on December 29, 2021, a staggering 18 people were reported to have been injured over the space of two days in the Buckley, a town in the Welsh county of Flintshire - all by the same squirrel nicknamed Stripe. You might want to think twice the next you think about feeding one.