Piles of Brazil nuts and walnuts have been turning up outside a Lincoln Park home for a few years now, and neighbors say the mess has drawn far more than squirrels. One resident says he recently counted 42 rats digging holes near the nut piles and running through the surrounding park, a problem the local alderman says has only gotten worse since the city started issuing tickets.
The piles first began appearing outside the home a few years ago, attracting a swarm of squirrels almost immediately, according to WGN-TV. Lincoln Park resident Caroline Novak told the station the food wasn’t the usual scraps critters find on their own. “I’m talking Brazil nuts and walnuts…these are not acorns,” she said. Workers carrying matching shoulder bags have also been spotted dumping piles of nuts a few blocks away inside the park itself, WGN reported, and a landscaping crew has been seen sweeping up nuts and other debris outside the home while squirrels searched the property.
Neighbor Counts Dozens of Rats Near the Feeding Site
David Pike, who lives nearby, said the nut piles have essentially created an all-you-can-eat buffet for rats and squirrels alike. He told WGN he counted 42 rats digging holes near the piles and running rampant through the park, and said he simply wants the rodents gone so his kids can play there again without worry. Another neighbor, Zach Fatla, said the rats showing up near the feeding site seemed different from the rodents typically spotted in nearby alleys.
43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen said the city has traced the feeding activity back to a specific homeowner, who he says has already received fines and a warning letter threatening further action. According to a letter Knudsen sent the homeowner on Aug. 25, the city alleges the person is in violation of Chicago’s dumping laws. The Department of Streets and Sanitation told WGN it has issued multiple warnings and citations for the same conduct, and that fines have already been paid.
City Letter Alleges Daily Feeding Continued Despite Fines
The alderman’s letter states that city inspectors visited the property multiple times and documented the homeowner or on-site staff placing food outside daily for squirrels and other wildlife, even after citations and fines were issued. Per that letter, the feeding has created what the city calls a public health hazard by attracting flocks of pigeons along with a rat infestation. Knudsen told WGN the goal is simply to stop feeding that’s causing problems in a dense residential neighborhood — but so far, tickets haven’t solved it. “The feeding has increased since we’ve been ticketing them,” he said…