THE SQUIRRELS IN AUSTIN

There are seven different squirrel species in Texas, with five of them being ground squirrels and three of them being tree squirrels. We can usually find them all over the state.
        The fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) has made quite a comfortable existence for itself on the UT Austin campus. In trees, bushes, trashcans, or coming to beg for a bite of your lunch, it’s hard to miss these furry little mammals. These little guys stay busy, as they can bury several thousand nuts over the course of a few months. Squirrels only find a portion of these buried nuts, which assists in propagating and spreading many species of nut trees. However positive this might be for aspiring saplings, squirrels also do severe damage to trees and saplings when they eat the bark. This action will “girdle” a tree. If squirrels eat the entire cannibal layer, the branch distal to the girdling dies. Mesquites are a favorite of squirrels on campus, and could explain why there is a lack of coexistence of oaks and mesquite on campus.You can read more news about it on  https://biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/entry/fox-squirrels.

 They're the cutest thing I've seen in Austin.  I love take pictures and also observe them all over the city.