Troublesome squirrels

Just imagine a beautiful Sunday afternoon, with no one to disturb, you are enjoying your favorite TV series while lounging on a comfy couch. What more could one wish for?

But heaven forbid, if this perfect setting is ruined by a sudden and unanticipated power cut, know that it’s mischief of a little ninja trying to experiment its weapons on your TV cable, leaving you with nothing but exasperation!!!

While there are many causes for power outages ranging from fallen branches to cable failure, but believe it or not, a well-co-ordinated rodent assault can be undoubtedly accused guilty in disrupting and frustrating thousands of people at a time, switching off our electrified lives for hours.  Their cute and furry façade often masks their propensity of gnawing on underground cables, and on top of it, these little nut eaters continue showing no sign of penitence for their wrongdoing!!!

Well-known rodent like squirrels, characterized by two pairs of unremittingly growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws are doubtlessly causing havoc in the telecommunication arena.

Squirrels, otherwise known for their robust bodies, short limbs, and long tails, have topped the list in posing a great threat to our electrical grids!!! Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, consisting of small or medium-sized rodents. They are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, and have been introduced to Australia. Like all rodents, squirrels have four incisors that grow continuously throughout their life.

Apart from crunchy nuts and fresh berries, these little invaders prefer nibbling on the aerial cable routes, thus damaging them along with increased maintenance expenses. They chew up the copper wires from metallic cables as well as fibers from optical cables. Damage to these fibers optic cables can cause shut down vital communication links to airports, emergency services, and Nuclear power facilities. Therefore protecting these ‘information canals’ has an ever-increasing significance.

In this battle of network vs. squirrels, even the transformers do not get an exemption. Squirrels burrow their way into transformers for the same reason they enter rotting cavities of aging trees: hollow spaces offer them den sites and safety from predators.

One might wonder the need for these notorious mammals being so interested in closely exploring the cables, even when these cables don’t suit their palate? The answer is simple; Most of the time squirrels gnaw to fulfill a portion of their dietary habits – opening hard-shelled nuts. If, however, squirrels do not have an adequate dietary reason or opportunity to exercise their incisors, there is a danger of the teeth “overgrowing”. In these cases, the incisors can prevent the squirrel’s mouth from closing (severely restricting its ability to eat), or the teeth may actually cause injury to the animal, including puncturing the roof of the mouth. If squirrels have need of wearing down their incisors, and there are no other hard substances nearby, they will gnaw on cable. Cable components such as polyethylene and aluminum shielding handily meet the needs of squirrels in the neighborhood when it comes to oral maintenance.

  • Squirrel Causes Power Outage in Bartlesville
    15th May 2016,NewsOn6.com, Bartlesville, USA

 Public Service of Oklahoma reports a problem with a squirrel caused power outages in some parts of Bartlesville. Spokesperson Tiffini Jackson said the squirrel got into a transmission line which overloaded an underground line. That caused a feeder station to go out. At its peak, about 2,000 customers were without electricity. PSO was able to re-route, and that number was down to under 700 customers around 9 a.m., according to Jackson. Power was restored before 11 a.m. The squirrel did not survive.

·         Squirrel blamed for Southgate School power outage in Kennewick
9th May 2016, Tri City Herald, Kennewick

A squirrel is to blame for a power and internet outage in central Kennewick on Monday morning. The outage happened near Morain Street and North 19th Avenue and knocked out power to Southgate Elementary School, the Sun Meadows Mobile Home Park and neighboring homes.

·         Squirrel causes power outage

10th May 2016, The Gaffney Ledger, USA

Another bushy-tailed, nut-loving menace wreaked havoc on the Board of Public Works’ electrical grid. A squirrel squirmed into the Suez Street substation, causing a 90-minute outage at Gaffney High before meeting an untimely death.

According to Cyber Squirrel’s data, till the year 2015 there have been about 714 squirrel related power outages.

It’s high time now, to show these cyber terrorists that we humans are capable in combating their continuous attacks. For this we require a long-term and sure shot solution that would keep these away from optical and metallic cables, thus preventing any further losses.

C Tech Corporation can offer a solution to overcome the damage caused by squirrels. Rodrepel™ is a non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-carcinogenic and environmentally safe, anti-rodent additive. The masterbatch of Rodrepel™ can be incorporated in wires and cables and other polymeric applications. Rodrepel™ lacquer can be added to paints which can be applied to the already installed cables.

RodrepelTM does not kill but repel. It is engineered using a unique set of complex compounds. It follows 6 pronged strategy which is extremely effective on rodents like squirrel, rat, beaver, gopher, paca, marmot etc.

Rodrepel™ is cost-effective, inert, and thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not volatilize and does not degrade in the soil.

The product is compliant with ROHS, ROHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU-BPR, and FIFRA exempted.

Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get best remedies to combat the pest menace.

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