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Monument staff discovered a dead rock squirrel in the square kiva at the mission on July 11.

That means that once plague has decimated one rodent species — say, the prairie dog — there are lots of other rodent species nearby it can jump to, like the rock squirrel.

But sometimes, visitors try to feed rock squirrels and end up getting bitten.

Crates and barrels occupy one corner; another corner is given to a larger-than-life, fluffy white nylon incarnation of a Chinese rock squirrel.

Researchers in North America have found that California ground squirrels and rock squirrels have blood that has evolved to neutralise the specific toxins found in the venom of some rattlesnakes.