Wildlife experts have claimed that there is a possibility that the death of red squirrel is occurring due to the human bacteria picked up from the food given by the animal lovers.

A report published in the professional journal Veterinary Record has reported that cuts and scars have been found on the skin of 11 dead squirrels in the Isle of Wight and Jersey in the year 2007 and 2008.

The report said, "It is common practice for people on the Isle of Wight to provide the squirrels with supplementary food, and this raises the possibility that feeding stations may be contaminated by staphylococci of human origin".

This human bacterium is usually found on the human skin and hands. Wildlife experts have found these bacteria in dead squirrels, which showed infections before dying.

However, scientists are not very sure whether the infection was the primary and is the only reason behind the death of these squirrels.

This problem of human bacteria is very rampant on the Isle of Wight. This is the only place in Britain, where there are no grey squirrels and people leave food for red squirrels.

The bacteria, staphylococcus aureus (staph A), is naturally found on the nose or the skin of the humans.