It’s a squirrel, wait, no, it’s a skunk! Wait it’s a squnk!
There is a picture of a black squirrel with a white-tipped tail going viral! It really looks like a cross between a squirrel and a skunk! It’s black with a white stripe on the tail!
BTW, it’s technically impossible for skunks and squirrels to breed since they are genetically so dissimilar.
It’s more likely the “squnk” is actually an eastern gray squirrel that descends from a gray squirrel-fox squirrel breeding. These “black” squirrels actually just have gene variants that make them darker due to the gene variant passed from fox to gray.
Famously, back in 1961, 10 black squirrels were captured in Canada and then released on the Kent State University campus. The animals are even considered the school’s unofficial mascot, with events named after them.
(Video courtesy of WUSA9)
black squirrels are pretty rare. Kent State reported in 2011 that there are likely only about 1 black squirrel for every 10,000 squirrels in North America. So, if you see one — snap a picture!
(Video courtesy of Kent State University Alumni)
