Pinto Bean (squirrel)
Pinto Bean in Champaign, October 2022 | |
| Species | Eastern gray squirrel |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Died | October 8, 2022 Springfield Avenue, Champaign, Illinois, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Motor vehicle collision |
| Known for | Distinctive piebald pattern, media appearances and tributes |
| Residence | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Pinto Bean was an eastern gray squirrel on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who was renowned and named for his rare piebald pattern. He died in Champaign on October 8, 2022, presumably due to a motor vehicle collision. Pinto Bean has been called a "minor celebrity" and a "grassroots, unofficial mascot" for the university. During a home football game against Minnesota, a tribute to Pinto Bean was shown on the jumbotron at Memorial Stadium.