DESCRIPTION
In the Southeast the Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus
niger) has a diet of green pinecones and fungi. The latter
have large numbers of spores, which the squirrel disperses through
defecation. These subterranean fungi are beneficial to the
germination and growth of trees, and some contain nitrogen-fixing
bacteria. The close relationship between these small mammals and
their woodland environment is destroyed by clear-cutting of forest.
The Eastern Fox Squirrel uses tree holes extensively, particularly
in winter, often nesting in them with a family group of several
other squirrels. Where tree holes are scarce, the Eastern Fox
Squirrel builds leaf nests in tree crotches.
ENDANGERED STATUS
The Big Cypress Fox Squirrel is listed as an Endangered Species in
Florida.