Black Griffin Squirrel

The now extinct Black Griffin Squirrel is known for tales of it's ferocity. The last known Black Griffin Squirrel in Bellica was sighted on the Island of Thamanya in 1898 when it bit and killed a 28 year old man protecting its cache of nuts. Though exceedingly ill-mannered and bearing big nasty fangs, Mateosian islanders kept Black Griffin Squirrels as pets throughout the 1800s, often performing the role of guard squirrel, replacing the role of dogs. It was this domestication of a inherently wild animal that led to the Black Griffin's progressive love of human cuisine, specifically: cookies. Useful in training the squirrels, the use of cookies had its limitations in that the squirrels became increasingly aggressive and unwilling to eat their normal diet. This noble warrior rodent perished from starvation as it's unforeseen cookie lust drove it to death. Reputed to exceed land speeds of up to 30 mph this tree dweller was unable to be captured by late 19th century photographic equipment. There is no record of measure Black Griffin air speed, but they are known to have fallen out of trees rather fast. The Black Griffin Squirrel continues to capture the heroic imagination of all Mateosians up to present day. Reverred as an icon of Mateosian strength and pride, the Black Griffin's legacy lives on in the Squirrel Youth Liberation Army.