Rodent on the rebound?
© Westend61/Adobe Stock
Known for their quirky behaviors and willingness to live near humans, red squirrels are popular with wildlife spotters across Europe. But in England, where our photo was captured, these quirky creatures have had a rough go recently. Constantly struggling to regain territory from rival grey squirrels (an invasive species introduced to Britain in the 19th century), in recent times they've also been hit with a nasty plague called squirrelpox, which gray squirrels carry but is only deadly to reds. Squirrel-loving Brits have banded together to make several areas of the UK into red squirrel havens, helping expand the rust-colored rodents' range.