Woman Discovers Unusual Squirrel and Learns About an Exciting Gene Mutation

Depending on people’s locations, they may be used to seeing a very specific-looking version of the common gray squirrel. For example, folks who call Princeton, New Jersey, home may be used to seeing black squirrels running around outside. And those who live in Brevard, North Carolina may get to see the occasional white squirrel run past their window.

Meanwhile, the rest of the eastern U.S. typically gets to see some more basic variation in the eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). While these squirrels can have slight variations in their color, they typically have a gray body, white belly, and tan face. 

However, every once in a while, you can see something a little different in nature. That’s what happened to one person on Threads, who was able to snap a few photos of the unique-looking squirrel she encountered. After getting photographic evidence, @sandiclewis73 posted the images, captioning them, “Has anyone ever seen a squirrel that has a tail like this?”

Threads users were quick to jump in and provide a name for the squirrel’s unusual look, proving that you really can learn something new every day.

Threads Users Commented on Why the Squirrel’s Tail Looked That Way

 

 

View on Threads

 

According to one commenter, the squirrel could be a ring-tailed ground squirrel. The Animal Diversity Web says these animals tend to live in western Mexico in the tropical lowlands. These squirrels have thinner tails that feature a series of rings on them.

The website also says that they tend to be more brightly colored during mating season, at which time their coloring takes on a mix of buff, black, and pinkish colors. Of course, the original Threads user didn’t say where she snapped the photo, so it’s hard to tell if the squirrel is truly a ring-tailed ground squirrel, or if it is just a common gray squirrel with an unusual appearance.

People Cracked Jokes About the Squirrel

Facts and theories aside, plenty of people took the question about the squirrel’s appearance as a chance to make jokes about what could also be happening with the rodent.

“That squirrel was assembled on a Friday,” one person wrote. 

“This diva,” another added.

Then there was one person who pondered the effectiveness of a tail like this, writing, “They use their tails as umbrella when raining. That tail does not look like it would work. Crazy.”

Whatever the truth may be, it sounds like this unusual-looking squirrel is well on its way to becoming the stuff of local legends thanks to its tail.