Many of our Red Squirrels are now growing into their thicker, salty gray winter coats and storing food obsessively. They’re blissfully unaware that about 75 percent of their young will not survive their first year, according to some research, and they and many of their mature relatives also stand a good chance of suffering an early and violent death.
These rodents are a favorite food of just about every meat-eating animal bigger than they are and the State allows them to be hunted as pests, without limit. In the woods, they’re constant complainers that loudly growl and curse at intruders, which can be a bad idea when the intruder is a predator or squirrel-hater. And then there is their suicidal practice of hightailing it across busy roads.
Nonetheless, we have plenty of Red Squirrels and many people consider them cute – until they invade the house or garage. (Brooklin, Maine) See also the image in the first Comment space.