Viral clip shows squirrel chewing e-cigarette—Experts sound alarm

The video was reportedly recorded in Brixton, south London.

In the video, a grey squirrel could be seen holding an e-cigarette and munching on it.

Experts said the squirrel was not attracted by nicotine but fruity smell that was coming from it.

Craig Shuttleworth, a red squirrel expert at Bangor University, told The Telegraph: "Eating a vape isn’t part of their natural diet. The components aren’t something they encounter in nature."

“They could gnaw at it and consume some of the microplastics," he said.

As per National Recycling website, around 1.3 million disposable e-cigarettes are thrown away in the UK every week.

Disposable vapes were banned in June last year, but manufacturers redesigned the products with a USB slot and a secondary pod so that they are technically rechargeable and reusable, reported The Telegraph.

RSPCA (England & Wales) shared the image of the squirrel and wrote on its Facebook page: " While disposable vapes are becoming increasingly popular, they pose significant risks to both domestic and wild animals - just like this young gull and squirrel who were pictured trying to eat one."

An RSPCA spokesman said: “The sight of this squirrel holding a disposable vape is a stark reminder of the danger discarded litter poses to our wildlife.

“Sadly, this is the tip of the iceberg – as five million single-use e-cigarettes were thrown away every week, according to research, prior to a government ban on their sale.

“These vapes contain materials and poisonous substances which can be hazardous to animals including plastic, lithium and nicotine.

“We would urge people to hold on to their litter until there’s an opportunity to dispose of it safely and responsibly – and to always recycle where appropriate, so we can reduce the number of animal casualties we see impacted by rubbish," the spokesman said.