Q: My mother-in-law finally got a picture of a mysterious creature she has seen several times on their property in Ringgold. I can’t find anything like it when I search for “squirrels” online.

She says he is huge! The size of a large, fat cat.

A: It’s a fox squirrel, common in the southern part of the state but not often seen in north Georgia.

They are much bigger than gray squirrels. They can weigh a couple of pounds and can have a total body/tail length of two feet.

Their ears are smaller in comparison to their body that those of a gray squirrel and their coloration is much more variable. Their coats may have a reddish tinge and it’s not unusual for one to have the dark face and white muzzle your mother’s squirrel has.

Now that the leaves are off the trees, go out walking behind your mother’s house. You may see, high in the limbs, a larger-than-normal mass of sticks and leaves that is the fox squirrel’s home in winter.

Read more here.