Vicious predators

Photos charting my plants' progress (or lack thereof) don't count as food pictures, do they?

Ever since I set my pots outside, I have been dealing with a ferocious enemy who presumably only does damage under the cloak of darkness.  I have not been able to catch him in the act.  But several mornings every week, when I step outside to nurture the herbs, I see his handiwork and then get really frustrated for such an early hour.

I've even started elevating the plants to higher locations, to no avail.  Look at what I found today:

The camera doesn't quite do justice, but an Animal (I have my eye on you, Squirrel) has been rooting around in the pots--not actually eating the basil or mint plants, but what appears to be just digging for the sake of digging.  Then he must gleefully chuck the soil out of the pot and onto the ground or chair, just to rub it in my face.  I'd actually prefer that he at least eat the plants so I can clearly identify a reason for the mischief.

Of course, there are bigger fish to fry in life.  But I would love to get to the bottom of this, especially since this is shaping up to be a summer-long battle.

I'd like to end this post on a positive note. In the face of adversity, who keeps truckin' along, (very) slowly but surely?  I love you, Basil.