Unbelievable! A Panama Squirrel Is My Coconut Thief
A few months ago I heard a loud thud in the yard at home. I looked through the window in time to see a coconut rolling across the lawn toward the house. Its side was cut off, so clearly ‘someone’ had helped themselves to the water and threw the shell in the yard. But when and how did they do it without my seeing them?
The window in my study allows me to see the tree right near the street. I wondered how I missed seeing someone climb the fence and the coconut tree. I love a good mystery but was too busy to get into it. After all it was just a coconut. Since then, I’ve seen more empty shells. However, I settled the matter in my mind that it’s probably a little petty thief who was playing games with me by picking the coconuts and throwing the shells in my yard.
Again in September, I saw a coconut on the tree that looked like someone had started cutting it while it was on the tree. I went “oohh…clearly ‘the person’ was attempting to cut down a bunch of the coconuts when their machete caught that one and they left it”. Mystery solved. There was a coconut thief in the area.
I asked the man who cut the grass to remove the last two tempting bunches and my neighbour and I had a coconut water and coconut meat fest. Well yesterday, I sat down to work on a paper that’s been giving me puss kittens. As I looked out the window for some inspiration I noticed what looked like huge orange pencil shavings on the ground underneath the coconut tree.
I looked up and couldn’t believe my eyes. What I saw made no sense. Why would someone go through all this trouble to open the coconuts on the tree and leave the coconut shells there? So how did they get the water out? You climb a coconut tree with a straw or does this guy have a very long mouth like an aardvark? No I’m serious. How did they do it and why not just take down the coconuts? You know I was now well vexed.
This was getting out of hand man. It’s raining a lot; the shells will store water which in turn will breed mosquitoes. And I now have a Dengue phobia. And now, I’m going to have to find someone to get them down and even with a ladder I’m too…well let’s say, I’m not tall enough to get them. I did not like this inconsiderate thief at all.
And so I began to build a theory. This was some kind of warning the thieves were leaving to let me know they have access to the yard and can come anytime. Or worse, perhaps this was the work of the notorious Panama Chupacabras (mythical blood sucking alien predator said to reside in Panama).
And as my brain shifted gears rapidly I heard a scraping noise coming from the tree. The coconut thief had returned to the scene of his meal. And I caught the wretch on film! But alas the police would laugh me to scorn as my neighbour did until I showed him the photos.
The coconut thief is a squirrel???
No way! Even as I looked my brain refused to accept it. No man. This can’t be real. I ran outside with my camera and he played hide and seek with me on the tree until he eventually jumped off and dashed through my fence onto the street. About 15 minutes after I went back inside he returned. So I went into the guest bedroom, climbed on the bed and got him feasting on my coconuts. The quality is not that great as I’m jiggling on the bed trying to keep him from seeing me but I guess he must have sensed I was there for he listened for a while then ran away.
Seeing Scrat do all kinds of things for an acorn gave me new respect for the determination, courage and downright choopidity (stupidity) of squirrels who will go to any lengths to secure their food. But come on. A hard coconut that you need a machete to chop?
And I recognized the little skank! (S)He ( a brave guy or gal with some iron teeth) has been frequenting my yard for the past 2 years. (S)He lives somewhere within the vicinity of my house and I usually see it on my neighbour’s roof across the street. I’ve watched it scampering up and down my coconut trees thinking how cute. Yea right! It never occurred to me that a squirrel would take on a coconut. Yes I know squirrels like nuts, but a coconut is one seriously BIG nut. With a hard shell.
See for yourself what hunger and ambition can make a squirrel do. Feel free to share the pictures in my YouTube video – A Panama Squirrel Coconut Thief with your friends.
I’m watching the tree. But something tells me he’s watching me…
Marvia
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November 23rd, 2008 at 2:53 am
curundu,
Go to the About page on this Blog and you'll see all my contact details there. Send me an email so I can get back in touch with you.
Peace!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Hello! I am not writing about squirrels! It seems like this was the only spot I could find to write to you. I am an American teacher and I have many years of teaching experience. I would be interested in teaching at the high school level in the Colon area. I have my Master's Degree from the U.S. in Teaching English at the Secondary Level. Is there anybody out there with any suggestions? I am 59 years old but very energetic and positive. I also have the legal right to be employed in Panama. I would very much like to be able to work as a teacher in the Colon area. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thank you so much.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:45 am
Too too funny!
I have a whole family of them who love to dine on my pecans-uh I mean "our" pecans.
Two years ago I would watch the father cross the cable line to come to work every day and bring his goodies back to the family.
This year, papa brought the babies to work with them for training, mama must be back home cleaning and cooking.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Joyce,
You are right in the correction in saying 'our' pecans. Clearly these are 'our' coconuts. Now you have me wondering if there is more than one of them. Anyway, the lesson is that we all need to survive!
Good to 'see' you as always!
January 26th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
Hi: I have a propety covered with pine trees in the Chiriqui Highlands of Panama and the trees have pine cones. I come from Northern California and the property in the Sierra Nevada Mountains there has squirrels all over it. They ate the pine cone nuts and loved my almonds too. I do not understand why I have no squirrels in the trees. There does not seen to be any predators to bother the squirrels and the neighbors are too poor to own a gun to shoot them. Where are the squirrels or someone to feast on the pine cones. Thanks
February 1st, 2010 at 11:30 am
Hi Howie!
So sorry to hear you have no squirrels in your trees:-) I’d suggest that you move down to Colon but since I do love the nice cold temperature of the Chiriqui Highlands, I fear that my suggestion would be wee tad bit of envy. I’ve seen quite a few squirrels this side. And I found it interesting that after a long break, my little thief is back. I saw him scampering down the tree yesterday.