It’s easy to have a love-hate opinion of squirrels.

These furry scamps are the clowns of our natural world and aside from entertaining antics, have a lot to offer in our modern urban and suburban settings. Squirrels benefit ecosystems by acting as seed dispersers, which helps plants and expand forests. They also aerate soil and spread fungal spores, which supports plant growth.

But the mischievous mammals also raid bird feeders, chew and gnaw through just about anything, and dart out in front of cars.

According to Dr. Jim LaCour, instructor for the LSU School of Animal Sciences, Louisiana is home to three types of native squirrels, including a subspecies: the gray, fox and flying squirrels.

Eastern gray squirrels are the most common and recognizable with gray fur, white bellies and bus

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