From Bernadette Chiaramonte

Yesterday, I found a rare Melanistic Black Chipmunk! My neighbors have seen him, but this is my first sighting!

Black chipmunks are extremely rare, with melanistic individuals appearing only occasionally in the wild.

A melanistic chipmunk is simply an Eastern chipmunk with a genetic anomaly that results in excessive melanin, giving it a solid black coat instead of the usual dark-and-white stripes - in Wellsboro, PA.

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[–] [S] 2 points 2 weeks ago

I agree! I don't know why I find this guy kinda creepy looking. I've seen some black squirrels lately, and they looked a bit goth, but otherwise normal, but this chippy's face just looks a touch spooky. Maybe just the reflection in the eyes, but I wouldn't turn my back on him! 😅

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