In Northeast Ohio, there’s been talk lately about this unusual and intriguing critter that resembles a hybrid between a skunk and a squirrel.
The creature, called a “squnk,” has a squirrel’s body but a skunk’s dark black fur and white-tipped tail:
Recently, there have been multiple reports of sightings of this unusual creature in Ohio, and pictures of it have gone popular on social media. According to some theories, the “squnk” may indeed be a cross between the two species.
It turns out that this “squnk” is a black squirrel. Even without any skunk DNA, it’s still a really uncommon sight. According to Smithsonian Magazine, black squirrels are the offspring of coupling eastern gray and fox squirrels. The squirrel in question is actually an eastern gray squirrel that got a gene variation that gave it a darker pigmentation.
There is only one black squirrel for every 10,000 squirrels, making them extremely rare. They are able to stay warmer in the winter and in colder climates thanks to their darker coat, which gives them a thermal advantage over typical gray squirrels.
Since their release on campus in 1961, ten black squirrels have been an iconic feature of Kent State University, earning them the title of unofficial mascot.
Therefore, don’t worry if you see a “squnk” in Ohio; it’s only a black squirrel with some fur on its tail that resembles that of a skunk, and you won’t get sprayed.
What a remarkable creature, wow! Even while it may not be a squirrel-skunk hybrid, it is nevertheless a rare critter to find.
If you are an animal lover, please share this tale!
My Daughter and the Neighbors Daughter Look like Sisters, I Thought My Husband Was Cheating, but the Truth Was Much Worse
When the new neighbors moved in, I couldn’t shake the eerie similarity between their daughter and my own. Could my husband have a secret past? I had to confront him, but I soon discovered a truth far darker and more complex than I’d imagined.
There in the backyard, Emma and Lily played, spinning around like two golden sunflowers seeking sunlight. Their laughter echoed in perfect harmony, a sound that should have brought me joy, but instead sent a chill through me.
I squinted, searching for any difference in their appearances, yet they looked almost like duplicates. The same golden curls, button noses, and playful spark in their eyes. Only Emma’s slight height advantage set them apart.
“Heather?” Jack’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I forced a smile, pushing down my racing thoughts. “Just… thinking.”
As weeks went by, my suspicions grew, tangled in Jack’s uneasy glances and the secretive way he avoided our neighbors in conversation. I felt like I was suffocating in my own home, my perfect world now as shaky as a house of cards.
One night, after hours of restless turning, I blurted out, “Is Lily your daughter?”
The silence that followed felt dense and suffocating. Jack, caught off guard, looked at me, his face a mixture of shock and hurt. “Heather, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend, Jack. The girls look identical, and you’ve been avoiding the neighbors. Just tell me the truth.”
Jack finally sighed, shoulders heavy with a burden I hadn’t understood. “Heather, this is insane. I’d never betray you. But it’s not that simple. I… I can’t talk about this now.”
He left the room, leaving me reeling with unanswered questions.
The following day, desperate for clarity, I sent Emma off to play with Lily and then went to their house. I asked Lily’s father, Ryan, about his wife, and he invited me in. In the living room, there were only photos of Ryan, Lily, and family members who looked nothing like the girls. My eyes caught a large photograph of a blonde woman up the stairs.
“Is that Lily’s mom?” I asked, heart pounding.
Ryan’s face fell. “Yes, that’s Mary. She’s no longer with us.”
“Because of Jack? They had an affair, didn’t they?”
Ryan shook his head, horrified. “No. Jack and Mary were family. She was his sister.”
The room blurred around me as the truth sank in. Jack’s sister, Mary, was Lily’s mother. He had been carrying the weight of a fractured family and the regret of not being there for her.
When I returned home, Jack was waiting in the kitchen, his face ashen and vulnerable. “Heather,” he began, voice thick with emotion, “I wanted to protect you from the broken pieces of my past. I failed my sister, and I’ve been carrying that guilt.”
As he opened up, I saw years of pain and regret unravel before me, the distance between us shrinking with each word. By the time we finished talking, I felt closer to Jack than ever.
Outside, Emma and Lily’s laughter drifted through the open window. Watching them play side by side, they still looked like twins, but now, their resemblance didn’t feel haunting. Instead, it felt healing—a testament to a family reuniting, finding new strength in second chances. Their laughter echoed in the golden light, a promise of new beginnings that filled me with warmth instead of fear.
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