April 27, 2021

Squirrelly Behavior in Barnaul


Squirrelly Behavior in Barnaul
Let's just hope they don't start releasing moose into the park next (Sorry, Bullwinkle).  Andre Svistunov, unsplash.com

Five squirrels were released from the Barnaul Zoo into a city park this past week as part of an initiative to repopulate wildlife into the urban environment. The fluffy critters were thrilled to explore their new habitat, but perhaps one got a little too carried away. 

It's impossible to say whether this was a personal vendetta (perhaps the journalist was the infamous Boris Badenov?) or if the squirrel just thought that they would be an intriguing obstacle to climb all over; nevertheless, a reporter's iPhone and notepad were taken down in the altercation, as you can see in this hilarious video. Thankfully, both parties were unharmed, and the squirrel scurried off to live a life free of crime. 

Interestingly enough, while most American parks are chock full of squirrels (stocked there in the nineteenth century, so it turns out), this is not always the case in some Russian cities. Prior to this event, there were actually no squirrels in this particular park in Barnaul. 

To help make the new park residents feel more at home, authorities built them specially-designed squirrel houses and feeding platforms, which came stocked with squirrel-friendly dried fruit and nuts. 

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time in recent events that an animal has come after a Russian reporter either. We sense a conspiracy...

 

You Might Also Like

City Spotlight: Barnaul
  • February 21, 2021

City Spotlight: Barnaul

A carjacking museum, Soviet statues, and Hollywood letters: let's take a closer look at one of Russia's best-hidden gems, the city of Barnaul. 
Running Away with the Story
  • April 05, 2021

Running Away with the Story

In Moscow, a Golden Retriever stole the show during a news broadcast — by stealing the microphone. 
Barbies, Oral Health, and Squirrels
  • March 25, 2021

Barbies, Oral Health, and Squirrels

In this week's Odder News, a new Russian Barbie, Russians need to work on their dental hygiene, and squirrels attack in Vyborg.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955