Stop feeding them! A park population is going nuts
Makenna Cramer
covers the daily drumbeat of Southern California — events, processes and nuances making it a unique place to call home.
Published May 12, 2025 5:00 AM
The ground squirrels dotted the grass across the park with their burrows scattered nearby.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Topline:
Tourists and residents strolling through Palisades Park in Santa Monica are greeted by a beautiful view of a sandy beach, the Pacific Ocean and the pier. Oh, and roughly 100 ground squirrels running across the lawn, and occasionally, directly toward you.
Why it matters: As cute as they may seem, ground squirrels can cause serious environmental issues, and human visitors sharing their snacks aren’t helping.
Why now: Gwendolyn Fogel lives in Santa Monica and visits the nearby farmers market weekly, but she told LAist this is the first time she’s seen so many squirrels in the park.
The backstory: Santa Monica has posted signs along the park asking people not to feed squirrels or birds. The red and white warnings say it “creates an imbalance in native ecology” and makes the animals more dependent on humans for food.
Read on ... to learn more about why the squirrel population matters.
Tourists and residents strolling through Palisades Park in Santa Monica are greeted by a beautiful view of a sandy beach, the Pacific Ocean and the pier. Oh, and roughly 100 ground squirrels running across the lawn, and occasionally, directly toward you.
It almost looks like a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, just furrier.
As cute as they may seem, ground squirrels can cause serious environmental issues, and human visitors sharing their snacks aren’t helping.
How bad is it
Keira Powell and Corey Mooney, who were sitting on a park bench near the bluffs, told LAist they saw a squirrel crawl right up someone’s leg.
“Check your pockets before you go home,” Mooney said. “You might end up with a squirrel.”
Powell added that they’re nothing like the gray or red tree squirrels they’re used to back home in Boston.
“They eat the grass, almost like a grazing herd of, like, sheep or goats,” she said.
The squirrels seem to be everywhere, even on the paved paths for bicyclists.
Powell and Mooney had a hotel view of the park, and they said the little brown rodents seem to be on a set schedule — as soon as the sun and people come out, so do they.
Gwendolyn Fogel lives in Santa Monica and visits the nearby farmers market weekly, but she told LAist this is the first time she’s seen so many squirrels in the park.
A small sampling of the ground squirrel population across Palisades Park.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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An eager ground squirrel at Palisades Park in Santa Monica.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Santa Monica's ground squirrels say hi
“ One of them just chased us, which I've also never seen squirrels, like, run after people,” she said. “ We both lived in New York and … deal with squirrels all the time. They don't chase after you, they run away from you.”
Christian Bussgen, Fogel’s friend, said they remind her of rats, but our interview was quickly interrupted by an especially eager squirrel.
What Santa Monica says
The city has posted signs along the park asking people not to feed squirrels or birds. The red and white warnings say it “creates an imbalance in native ecology” and makes the animals more dependent on humans for food.
The city of Santa Monica has posted signs along Palisades Park asking people not to feed squirrels or birds.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Tati Simonian, public information officer with the city of Santa Monica, said Palisades Park gets a lot of foot traffic and is just on top of the natural bluffs — which the ground squirrels like to burrow in.
“As visitors come to enjoy the view, we remind them that the park is part of a greater natural environment and request their help in maintaining the environment as much as possible,” she said in a statement.
When LAist asked if it’s normal for the squirrels to chase people through the park around this time of year, Simonian declined to share additional information.
Experts say we’re to blame
Marcia Rybak, of Coast and Canyon Wildlife Rehabilitation, told LAist that the squirrels in Santa Monica are unique.
“The trouble Santa Monica has, and will always have, with those ground squirrels on the bluffs is the ground squirrels are well established and very happy there,” she said in an email. “The population will remain stable based on the food supply. If people don't feed them then they will only breed as much as the land will carry.”
So in short, if you’re noticing more squirrels around Palisades Park, it's because we’re feeding them more and inadvertently encouraging them to stay in the area. So it’s best to keep your snacks to yourself.
But it's also spring — which means baby season.
There were several burrows with ground squirrel babies in Palisades Park as well.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Officially known as California or Beechy ground squirrels, they live together in burrows and prefer to forage on the ground, according to an L.A. County Agricultural Commissioner / Weights & Measures report.
The ones in our area usually begin to breed in December. But by June, the squirrels’ average of seven to eight babies per litter start to scurry out on their own.
“A good way to explain the difference in movement of ground squirrels versus tree squirrels is that tree squirrels disperse,” Rybak said in an email. “On the other hand, ground squirrels spread where babies dig burrows adjacent to the one they were born in. Ground squirrels do not travel much farther than 150 feet from their burrows.”
There were several groups of young squirrels in various burrows when LAist visited Palisades Park in late April.
A word of warning
Ground squirrels can cause some serious damage.
Their burrows, which can be up to 30 feet long and several feet below ground, can affect roads, structures and dams, to name a few.
If the population becomes unnaturally high, the squirrels can make a grassy area look more like a “pockmarked moonscape,” according to the L.A. County report.
Further north in San Luis Obispo County, Pismo Beach officials say they’re dealing with a squirrel problem in some parks after the city stopped using poison baits to manage the population, which has since “exploded.”
Specifically, the tunnels are making the Shell Beach bluffs collapse faster.
Rosemarie Gaglione, the city's public works director, said in an April 15 City Council meeting that she’s seen people feed the squirrels and watched them approach others looking for a meal.
“While they look cute, they’re not a great thing for the park,” Gaglione said. “ FEMA made the comment … that we need to take care of the squirrel problem because it's impacting the bluffs.”
Pismo Beach officials supported a public campaign telling people not to feed the squirrels and educating them on the damage the population is doing.
“Feed a squirrel and the bluffs [are] going to go away,” said Mayor Ed Waage during the meeting. “You won’t be able to sit here anymore.”
Other California cities are dealing with a squirrel population problem, which has "exploded" in some parks.
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published June 3, 2026 5:27 PM
Mosquitoes being dropped into tubes to be tested for West Nile virus.
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Tim Boyle
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Officials in Orange County are reporting the first detection of West Nile virus in mosquitos this year.
Where? Mosquitos collected in the Newport Beach area have tested positive for West Nile, according to Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. The infected insects were collected in an area bordered by Campus Drive, Jamboree Road, State Route 73 and John Wayne Airport. according to the OCMVCD.
Any humans infected? There are no reported cases so far of West Nile in humansin Orange County.
What’s West Nile again? For humans, the CDC says the virus is commonly spread through the bite of the infected insects and can lead to severe illness affecting the central nervous system. Symptoms can include: fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
What’s being done about it? Vector Control workers will continue inspections to try and tamp down on mosquito breeding.
What you can do: O.C. officials said dumping and draining standing water at least once a week is the best way to limit the pests in your community.
The OCMVCD also shared these tips:
Clean and scrub bird baths and pet water bowls.
Wear repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Close all unscreened doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home or space; repair broken or damaged screens.
Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outside at dawn and dusk.
David Wagner
covers housing in Southern California, a place where the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness.
Published June 3, 2026 3:54 PM
A Los Angeles City Council meeting April 2, 2025.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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The Los Angeles City Council moved Wednesday to postpone some of the biggest changes possible under a new state law putting more housing near transit stops. Instead, the council advanced plans for increased density in some targeted neighborhoods.
SB 79 is set to take effect July 1. That hotly debated state law allows apartment buildings between five and nine stories tall near train and rapid bus stops. But the law lets cities delay full implementation until 2030 by crafting local, phased-in approaches for creating more housing. On Wednesday, the council voted 13-0 in favor of a new “Low-Rise Ordinance,” allowing buildings up to four stories tall in 57 neighborhoods near transit stops.
L.A.’s proposed new ordinance aims to delay full implementation of SB 79 in areas deemed historically significant, at high risk of fires or economically “low resource.” Advocates for increased development say the way to get rising rents under control is to build more housing. But homeowner groups in areas the city considers “high resource” have argued denser housing doesn’t belong in the nearly three-quarters of residential land zoned for single-family homes.
Barbara Broide, a board member of the Westside Neighborhood Council, said in an earlier City Planning Commission meeting that the city’s plans to delay SB 79 by channeling growth into certain neighborhoods could have “unintended consequences.”
“The promise of having duplex, triplex and courtyard typologies of housing are being lost with this measure,” Broide said. “Instead we’re seeing four-story apartment buildings with no setbacks, no trees, no place for families, for children to play or tomatoes to be planted.”
Mahdi Manji, a policy director with the Inner City Law Center, said during Wednesday’s public comment period that he supported allowing mixed-income developments in neighborhoods that have historically resisted such housing. But he called for tweaks that would allow ground-level parking and greater density for projects that include more income-restricted units.
“This could be a unique opportunity to make some of these projects a little bit more feasible while adding a little bit of deeper affordability,” Manji said.
The plan still needs to come back to the full City Council for a final vote. Then it will head to the desk of Mayor Karen Bass. She had asked Gov. Gavin Newsom last year to veto SB 79, arguing the state shouldn’t tell L.A. how to plan for more housing.
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A bipartisan majority in the Republican-led House voted on Wednesday to end the war with Iran, the clearest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict and the subsequent economic fallout.
About the vote: The war powers resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
What it means: The vote is mostly symbolic. Democrats, despite multiple attempts, have been unable to pass a war powers resolution through the Republican-led Senate. Even if the measure passed in Congress, it would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump, whose administration has questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.
A bipartisan majority in the Republican-led House voted on Wednesday to end the war with Iran, the clearest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict and the subsequent economic fallout.
The war powers resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
The resolution had originally been set for a vote two weeks ago, but Republican leaders sent House members home early for a May recess when it appeared the largely Democratic-backed measure had enough Republican votes for passage. However, the extended break didn't shift GOP support to kill the measure.
Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended Trump's decision to attack Iran.
"Remember … Iran declared war on us 47 years ago. They chant 'death to America.' The president is trying to keep the people safe," Johnson told reporters.
The vote is mostly symbolic. Democrats, despite multiple attempts, have been unable to pass a war powers resolution through the Republican-led Senate. Even if the measure passed in Congress, it would almost certainly be vetoed by President Trump, whose administration has questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.
Still, Senate Democrats have been inching closer. Last month, they won support on a procedural measure to set up a war powers vote after a handful of Republicans broke ranks to join them. A final vote has yet to be scheduled.
The administration has furiously pushed against the effort in both the House and Senate. Wednesday's vote signals his support for the war may be slipping even among some members of his own party.
Now more than 90 days into the conflict, some Republicans have expressed frustration that the war does not appear to have a clear end in sight. Talks to end the war have yet to gain clear traction, casting doubt on a fragile ceasefire. Just hours before the vote, Iran and the U.S. traded strikes in the Persian Gulf.
The conflict began on Feb 28 with strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran. Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the president has 60 days to end hostilities if there has been no congressional authorization – though he is able to seek a 30-day extension. The same law also gives Congress the ability to end hostilities by voting on a resolution to end military action, subject to presidential veto.
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., warned ahead of the May recess when the vote was delayed that the plan was sure to pass.
"Let's be clear: Republicans pulled this vote because they knew they were going to lose it," Meeks said. "They know this war is a political and strategic disaster."
Copyright 2026 NPR
The latest data shows that EVs typically cost $3,159 per year to insure — nearly $1,000 more than gas-powered cars. It’s an added burden that could make the payback period on EVs significantly longer.
The cost breakdown: On average, the insurance gap between electric and internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles was 42%, according to a report released today by the insurance-comparison marketplace Insurify. But it varies drastically by state and model. The most expensive locale was Washington, D.C., where coverage cost $6,394 versus $4,124 for ICE cars. In California, coverage for electric cars costs $3,584 on average versus $2,969 for ICE cars.
Which car brands have the highest insurance? Generally speaking, luxury brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are particularly expensive to insure, with premiums on many models topping $4,000. Volvo, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai offer cars at the lower end of the spectrum. Insurify wouldn’t disclose which insurers had the most expensive rates, but did say Lemonade, Root, and GEICO offered the most affordable EV coverage. A primary reason for the disparity is that EVs cost more to fix.
Electric vehicles offer many opportunities to save money: on gas, on oil changes, on engine maintenance. But, it turns out, insurance isn’t one of them. In fact, the latest data shows that EVs typically cost $3,159 per year to insure — nearly $1,000 more than gas-powered cars. It’s an added burden that could make the payback period on EVs significantly longer.
On average, the insurance gap between electric and internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles was 42%, according to a report released by the insurance-comparison marketplace Insurify. But it varies drastically by state and model. The most expensive locale was Washington, D.C., where coverage cost $6,394 versus $4,124 for ICE cars. Maine was the cheapest at $1,476, just $184 more than a conventional car. The difference was most pronounced in Rhode Island, which has a 73% spread.
Generally speaking, luxury brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are particularly expensive to insure, with premiums on many models topping $4,000. Volvo, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai offer cars at the lower end of the spectrum. Insurify wouldn’t disclose which insurers had the most expensive rates, but did say Lemonade, Root, and GEICO offered the most affordable EV coverage.
“Insurers were charging those higher premiums to balance their risks,” said Julia Taliesin, an economic analyst and insurance agent at Insurify, who wrote the report. It is based on more than 235 million quotes in Insurify’s proprietary database. Seven states — Alaska, Hawai‘i, North Dakota, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming — are excluded due to lower quoting volume. But high insurance expenses means it can take more driving before an EV pays for itself through lower fuel and operating costs. Even if electricity were free and gas stays at $4 per gallon it translates to at least 5,800 more miles a year compared to a car that gets 25 mpg.
A primary reason for the disparity is that EVs cost more to fix.
“We do see that there is a delta in the cost of repair for electric vehicles compared to ICE,” said Ryan Mandell, a vice president of strategy and market intelligence at Mitchell, a company which provides data and software related to car repairs. He pegs the difference at about 15%, noting that batteries are relatively expensive to fix and for mechanics to work around and that EVs have complicated electronics. But there are more fundamental factors as well, like the lack of an engine.
Mandell gave the Ford F-150 as an example. From 2022 to 2025 an electric version of the pickup truck, called the Lightning, was available alongside gas-only and hybrid versions. When Mitchell subjected the gasoline and EV models to a front-end crash test the engine in the traditional model actually absorbed quite a bit of the impact. Because it doesn’t have that additional structure, Ford designed the Lightning with additional reinforcement that cost around 30% more to fix.
“The Lightning had more crash parts on the front of the vehicle,” said Mandell. He also noted that Ford requires removing the battery before doing any work, which increases labor costs. “It adds up.”
Repair costs, however, are not the only factor insurers consider. Insurify’s data showed insurance rates for the two trucks are roughly the same, which Taliesin said suggests driver demographics and behavior play a role, too. “One of the most significant is personal driving history and credit history,” she said. Given the Lightning’s much higher cost, the credit scores of owners could potentially be higher. And Insurify’s data shows that the ticket and accident rates for Lightning drivers are about half that of traditional F-150s.
“Factors like climate risk, vehicle theft rates, population density, insurance regulation, repair infrastructure, and EV adoption levels contribute to regional cost differences,” the Insurify report stated. In several states it cited climate-driven extreme weather, such as hurricanes and flooding, as drivers of high costs.
This EV insurance story isn’t unique to the United States. In 2024, BloombergNEF found about the same spread in the United Kingdom and Germany. France saw double the disparity. Overall, though, American EV owners still paid 87% more for insurance than Europeans.
“Several model-specific factors have driven the wider cost gaps in the large and SUV segments,” said Aleksandra O’Donovan, head of electrified transport at BloombergNEF, pointing to the Tesla Model Y as a particularly extreme example. “[The U.S. price] is nearly triple the insurance rate for the same vehicle in Germany.”
From 2023 to 2025, the EV insurance gap in the U.S. grew from 29% to 49%. But this year, it came down slightly, which Taliesin said is among a few good signs for EV drivers. Another is that the disparity among cars made in the last two years was only 18 percent — compared 42% across all years.
That drop is partly because auto insurance prices fell across the board in the last year. But Taliesin also said that ICE cars are catching up to EVs in terms of how complicated and expensive they are to fix. The cost of EV batteries is also trending downward, too. As EV sales have grown, there is more data for companies to base their prices on and more incentive for them to court EV owners.
”We’ve been seeing a ton of insurance-shopping behavior as insurers have been dropping their rates to compete for business,” said Taliesin, who is bullish for consumers. “That’s definitely a welcome reprieve.”
