A sturdy Abert’s squirrel with its fancy tasseled ears is spotted at Bandelier National Monument. Cones of the Ponderosa Pine are a favorite food of Abert’s squirrels. They will turn the cone slowly, much like you may rotate an ear of corn as you eat it, peeling away the cone scales to reach the meaty seeds. The new buds and inner bark of the Ponderosa are also quickly consumed by the squirrel. You may think this would be bad for the Ponderosa; however, Abert’s also eat ectomycorrhizal fungi. A byproduct of this feeding activity spreads fungal spores. As it turns out, this fungus is very beneficial to the survival of the Ponderosa, and the Abert’s squirrel serves a vital role in the proliferation of the fungi. Source: BNM. Photo by Sally King/NPS