Jake Young is a 
Residents of New Jersey must be warned not to eat too many toxic squirrels:
New Jersey has warned squirrel hunters near a toxic waste dump about consuming the critters because they could be contaminated with lead.It is the first time the state has cautioned Ringwood residents _ many who are members of the Ramapough Mountain Indian tribe who hunt and fish in the area _ about their squirrel intake, said Tom Slater, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Senior Services.
A lead-contaminated squirrel was found in the area two months ago, prompting the agency, along with the state Department of Environmental Protection, to send out letters advising that adults eat squirrel no more than twice a week and even less for children and pregnant women. (Emphasis mine.)
I really want to comment on this, but somehow I don't think it is necessary.
Oh well, I can't help myself.
1) Cheap shot. What the hell is going on in New Jersey?
2) Squirrels are all gamy and meatless (don't ask how I know). They are little tree rats. Why are people eating them in this first place? If you are going to eat something inappropriate at a dump, shoot a dog.
3) I appreciate that we live in a society that feels it has to warn pregnant women not to eat wild rodents. That level of protectiveness is like a warm blanket that helps me sleep at night.
4) How did they come up with twice a week for normal adults? Is there nutritional information on squirrels?
Comments
And for God's sake don't eat their brains! Squirrel brains are suspected of transmitting Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.
Well, there goes my contribution for the next church potluck!
Posted by: T. Bruce McNeely | January 29, 2007 2:00 PM
i thought i might shed some light on this for you guys seeing as i am a ringwood resident. ok, a few decades back there was a ford plant a couple towns over and in thier infinite wisdom they decided to use some abandoned mine shafts and the surrounding wooded area to dump some paint sludge. this area of town happens to be the outskirts where this so called "indian tribe" live. any resident of the town finds this description quite humorous as it is a communtiy of about 400 or so who live in run down houses which the government build for them, they are actually a mixed breed of old dutch miner blood, legitamate native american, black, and caucasian. these people leach off the government and will use whatever title is appropriate to get them some money at the time. the vast majority of inhabitants of this town are upper middle class, by no means backwoods, and do not eat squirrels. however, i would not put it past many members of this so called tribe to consume squirrel meat. that is who this warning is meant for, i know my remarks of these people may sound a bit insensitive but if you lived here you would understand. it is "new jersey" so it's easy to take cheap shots and make assumptions but truth be told this area is actually a charming place to live
Posted by: joe | January 31, 2007 5:43 PM
4) How did they come up with twice a week for normal adults? Is there nutritional information on squirrels?
I just threw "Nutrition information squirrel" at Google, the third link was for ground squirrel meat, aparently from Alaska.
http://www.elook.org/nutrition/ethnic/5399.html
To get the twice-per-week recommendation, I'm guessing they looked lead content in a sample (hopefully of multiple squirrels a la blender) and extrapolated based on lead consumption in other foods.
Posted by: TheBrummell | February 7, 2007 1:59 PM