Instructions for “dolce vita mammal watching”
During a trip through Italy last month, I had a chance to observe a Finlayson’s Squirrel, an invasive species in Italy. While life can be tough as a mammal watching geek (getting up early, going to bed late, freezing in the mountains, etc.), my experiences with this species in the town of Sapri have shown me that there is another way of observing animals:
1. Stroll along the beach promenade.
2. Ask a street sweeper if he has seen any squirrels: “Ci sono scoiattoli qui?” If he says yes, ask him to show you the spot: “Dove? … grazie!”
3. Go to the café next door, order that espresso-based coffee drink that is traditionally prepared with steamed milk: “Cappuccino, per favore.” And sweet pastries – with the squirrels in view, preferably with nuts in it: “E quello lì.” (Use your index finger.) Keep an eye on the trees that the street sweeper showed you.
4. Enjoy your coffee and sweet pastries. The squirrel has longer rest periods, but be ready for it. The Finlayson’s Squirrel is an arboreal species (I havn’t seen it on the ground). It is very quick and changes trees frequently, but stays in the area (at least the one I saw did). Therefore hiking boots are not necessary, flip-flops are sufficient.
5. When you have observed what you set out to do and all the pictures are in the box, treat yourself to another cappuccino as a reward. “Arrivederci!”
Post author
Ralf Bürglin
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