Black Squirrel touted as official state animal

Making the black squirrel the official state animal is the goal of a western Iowa Girl Scout Troop. Representative Brad Hansen, a republican from Carter Lake, recently met the girls and talked with them about a bill to make the change to the constitution.Hansen says he’s sponsoring the legislation for two reasons: the black squirrel is a unique animal, and he says it’s a valuable civics lesson for the girls.Black squirrels are rare, but Hansen says they’re quite a common site in the Council Bluffs area.Hansen says the black squirrel is a friendly creature that will approach humans. He says it’s like the animal’s talking to you.Hansen says Council Bluffs has a city ordinance that bars people from killing or injuring the black squirrel.