If this picture looks right out of Beatrix Potter"s world, we"d say you have a good eye for a story. In 1903, Potter published "The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin," about a cheeky squirrel who taunts an owl with silly riddles until he pushes things too far—narrowly escaping with his life, minus a tail. Potter based Nutkin on the red squirrel, the only native squirrel species in the UK. The red squirrel population saw a steep decline here after humans introduced the larger nonnative Eastern gray squirrel in the late 1800s. But today in the UK, the red squirrel is a protected species, bolstering efforts to keep the gray numbers in check and preserve habitat. Estimates put the red squirrel population in the UK at fewer than 140,000, with the vast majority living in the woods of Scotland, like our little friend here.
The tale of squirrels like Nutkin
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
I am the walrus
-
Easter
-
Birds and bees, and why they re so important
-
Keyholes to the kingdom
-
A toast to California!
-
Sea fireflies at the seashore
-
The largest American bison around
-
Juniper Springs, Florida
-
Black grouses lekking
-
Point Reyes National Seashore in California
-
Celebrating Madagascar on its Independence Day
-
Winnie-the-Pooh Day
-
High trekking season in Upper Mustang
-
Aspens in the White River National Forest, Colorado
-
Fin whales: A success story
-
An ancient sailing tradition takes to the water
-
Flamingos of the Chilean desert
-
The Easter Bunny’s story
-
Old Town Quito
-
A midsummer twilight s dream
-
Whoopin it up!
-
And the skies filled with bats…
-
US Coast Guard: Protecting us for 105 years
-
How lovely are your branches
-
Maybe we should be looking up
-
Celebrating Panama s independence
-
Lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, France
-
Great on so many levels
-
Celebrating sea otters
-
International Lighthouse Weekend
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

