No, You Do Not Need to Wrap Your Car in Chicken Wire in New York

Chicken wire, Porcupines, and Marmots. What exactly does that combination have in common? You would think nothing, but you would be wrong.

First, in case you are not aware, a Marmot is, according to the AZ Animals website, a medium-sized rodent with brown fur on its head and back, and yellow fur on its underside. These animals dine on vegetation such as flowers, grass, and grains among other things. They can live up to 15 years and are native to North America, Europe, and Asia.

And apparently, Marmots and Porcupines like to cause trouble. According to the National Park Service, Marmots and Porcupines have a thing for radiator hoses, brake lines, tires, and car wiring. Not good.

For a time, one of the ways to deter a Marmot or Porcupine from getting into the engine of a vehicle, people would wrap the bottom portion of their cars with chicken wire.

Take a look at the video below from 2011 at the Bugaboo Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada, to see how hikers wrapped their vehicles in chicken wire to deter porcupines from damaging their vehicles.

But, according to the National Park Service, they advise against using chicken wire. Why? Well, apparently Marmots have figured out how to get around the wire, at least in the Mineral King area of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon in California.

The advice from the NPS is to:

Use only non-toxic methods to prevent marmots from accessing your vehicle. Do not use any poison or substance that poses a risk to the environment, human or animal health, safety, or property.

Just in case you ever go to this national park, The NPS advises anyone visiting the Mineral King area, when returning to your vehicle, to look under it for Marmots or signs of chewing. Check for any signs of damage to your vehicle's electrical wiring, hoses, and belt. Also, check the levels of your radiator and brake fluids.