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Finding New Ways To Keep Fans Off Light Poles

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Slathering Crisco on some of the city's light poles didn't keep determined Eagles fans from climbing them.

The world of bird feeding may offer a more effective deterrent.

Crisco's better suited to baking than it is to making light poles too slippery to shimmy up. It won't keep squirrels off pole-mounted bird feeders either, says Audubon Pennsylvania Program Manager for Bird Friendly Communities Steven Saffier, but a barrier method generally will.

"A nice baffle, usually they're cone-shaped baffles, dome baffles," he said.

They're about a foot and a half in diameter. So how would you scale it up for a human application?

"Eagles fans are incredibly tenacious, and I'm gonna say, maybe nine, 10 feet in diameter," said Saffier.

But, Saffier says, it may make more sense to keep those who're bent on climbing a pole earthbound by offering them snacks.

"Those salty crab fries are really good. That'll keep 'em busy," Saffier joked.

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