Spotted squirrel has place in UI history

CHAMPAIGN — Pinto Bean, a uniquely spotted squirrel who once roamed the University of Illinois campus before its untimely demise — it is presumed to have been struck by a vehicle — now inhabits a display case at the Forbes Natural History Building on the UI campus. Pinto Bean gained notoriety for its piebald color pattern and became a common muse for the student population, with some suggesting it be made the university’s mascot. After its passing, admirers arranged for its body to be taxidermized. “As the Natural History Survey serves as the biological memory of Illinois, this seemed like…