Bear squirrel

''Huh... A bit early for the bear squirrel herds to be migrating up to these parts around Christmas. Usually they don't start coming until February. Odd, don't you think?'' -Holly

The bear squirrel is a relatively rare Skaylian mammal that is exactly what its name implies -- a squirrel the size of a bear. They appear several times through The Displacement of Nes Garrow, and are often played on for comedic effect.

Characteristics
The bear squirrel got its name due to being a squirrel with the size, as well as the appetite, of a bear. They are aggressive animals, and though they only rarely eat meat, they will not hesitate to attack and kill many types of animals, as well as Skaylians.

Their habitat is unknown, but due to their ability to adapt, they can survive almost anywhere. In many places, they are considered invasive species that put the natural ecosystem at risk.

Bear squirrels have little use to Skaylians; due to their ferocity, they cannot be domesticated, and even hunting them is advised against due to their dangerous ferocity. However, they are technically rideable -- in one story told by Lucia, the Earl of Farwhistler, who brought bear squirrels to the District, had a pet bear squirrel named Whistlie, who he rode under saddle to get from place to place.

Apparently, according to Holly, bear squirrels also migrate.

History
Bear squirrels, according to Lucia, were originally indigenous to Endaksaw, having evolved in an environment similar to African savanna.

The animals, however, were eventually brought to the District by a powerful nobleman called the Earl of Farwhistler, who was frankly obsessed with them. In his voyage to the new land, he brought his squirrels with him, and even after his colony was destroyed by angered local rulers, the squirrels escaped and began to breed. They can now be found throughout the District in large herds.