Fox squirrels are members of the rodent order, which also include mice, beavers, woodchucks, and chipmunks.  As a rodent, a squirrel’s front teeth need to be worn down constantly by gnawing on wood or deer antlers.  Fox squirrels are chunky and “salt and pepper” colored, with reddish-orange under hairs on the tail and legs.  Much larger in size than its close relative the gray squirrel, the fox squirrel may weigh as much as 2 pounds and is the largest tree squirrel!  Very common in central Illinois, fox squirrels are frequenters of backyard birdfeeders.
  
Often, fox squirrels are seen in trees foraging for fruit and nuts, or building a nest of leaves and twigs.  Squirrels have the ability to carry large amounts of food in their cheeks to their nests for storage.  A squirrel has the interesting practice of descending a tree head first, and uses its strong, sharp claws to grasp tightly to the bark.  The hind feet spread out to work like anchors to hold the squirrel to the tree, and the long tail aids in balance.  
   
As a general rule, squirrels have great eyesight and hearing, which help them to escape predators like owls, coyotes, and dogs.  Squirrels also have a very sensitive sense of touch.  Vibrissae (small whisker like hairs) cover the face, snout and legs making the body very sensitive to vibrations and movement.  As a prey animal, having the ability to sense the presence of predators is very important.
  
This ability to escape predation, combined with the ability to adapt to many environments, has made the squirrel family one of the most successful groups of mammals in the world.  Members of this family inhabit most of the world, including rainforests and deserts.