It’s Like Animal Planet But With Less Knowledge
We get all kinds of wildlife that stroll through our yard. I’ve seen foxes, a raccoon (eating our trash), bears and mostly deer.
Here’s one giving me the side eye.
For the last few months, I’ve noticed a THING hop past my kitchen window. I say THING because I have no idea what it is. It kinda looks like a cat, hops like a rabbit, but has a tail like a squirrel.
It walks hops by every afternoon around noon, so I kept an eye out for it and my camera close by. Check it.
Please note the ears, what are up with its ears? I also set some food out for it next to the house. I figured I could tell what it was by its dietary choices. I put out lunch meat (cat), carrots (rabbit) and peanuts in the shell (squirrel). When I checked the next day, all the food was gone. When I told Jeff about my experiment, he just stared at me for a long time and said something about me possibly getting a day job. My husband obviously has no love for wildlife and does not share in my quest for getting to the bottom of things.
I would also like to add I have never seen the cat.rabbit.squirrel sit up on his hind legs, you know like a squirrel does when it is gathering nuts or pondering how to eat your eyeballs. It does not walk, it only hops, and its tail only sticks straight out. I have never seen it climb a tree and when I open my backdoor to go outside and see if it will be friends with me, it hops away very, very fast, which is totally rude.
I have also named him Napoleon.
Let me know if you have any ideas what is up with Napoleon. Because obviously Jeff isn’t helping. Oh, Zoe looked at the photograph and said it was “a bad picture of a cat with weird ears” and when Troy sees it, he points and says “BO-BOLLY!” I have nothing to work with over here.
Happy weekend.
XO-Zak
monstergirlee
Wow, if it wasn't in the snow I'd say it was some exotic rain forest fox… but you're in CO.
Neat pic tho. I bet if you keep putting out food it'd slow down for better pics. Cool!
Krëg
What's up with you and unidentifiable creatures? You should move.
Or ask this guy.
Looks like a fennec fox to me, but those are only found in Africa.
Nobodys Nothings
LOL i have a squirrel that i watch while i do dishes. i have named him Norman, but sometimes it's Eddie or Jack. whatever name i can think of at the moment, actually…
Jill Himitsu
I assume you live somewhere by me (since you work like, 2 seconds from my house) but I have no farking clue what that thing is.
Also, do you mind if I come and take my photos of nature at your house? Because you obviously live in a winter wonderland that I have not discovered yet. LOL
Gin
OMG IT'S LIKE A YETI OR BIGFOOT OR THE CHUPACABRA, except kind of huggable-looking. It is of extreme importance that you continue your documentation of this creature, and your quest for answers. Next stop, Discovery Channel.
tincupchalice
It looks like a lynx. Very cool!
tincupchalice
Though it could very well be a fox … check this out http://wildlife.state.co.us/
megant599
My friend's new phone has an app that lets you take a pic of something and it will tell you what it is and how much it costs. So if they sell those creatures on-line we could find out what it is!
Jen
I don't know what that thing is, but Napoleon is the perfect name for it.
Sarah
I thought 'Fennec Fox' too, but you're on the wrong continent and it's the wrong color.
Tell you what, I'll ponder this if you'll ponder my wildlife problem right now.
http://localfoodblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-cat-needs-hobby.html
(Don't know how to do html tags – sorry.)
Midwest Mommy
I am guessing the black fox.
And dude, you see bears in your backyard? That would make me poop my pants.
Michelle
My husband has now confirmed that I am nuts because I was laughing hysterically at the name Napoleon. I was compelled to click over from Reader just to see if your brilliant readers knew WTF that thing was. Crazy.
*Lissa*
I don't know what kind of mutant creature you have going on there, but oh, how I miss Colorado!! Your yard is dreamy.
OHN
Bigfoot is a lot smaller than I had him pictured.
Adriane
So jealous of your backyard! I think it's a fox. Black foxes are very rare, so Google tells me.
jayme
you should catch it and raise it as a domestic animal.
Krista
What the hell is that thing and why didn't you name it Bobolly?
Martinis or Diaper Genies?
You don't live in the USA do you?
Fairly Unremarkable
I think it's an Albert's squirrel. Check it out….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abert's_Squirrel
jen
we get plenty of deer and such … even in the first ring suburb that we are …
but that? wow. i have never seen anything quite like that.
and animal planet is just about the only thing i let my kids watch anymore.
Chris at yardsalequeen.com
I think its a Jackalope that hasn't fully developed into the antler stage yet.
http://www.sudftw.com/jackcon.htm
sarah
Here's my theory: a cat and a rabbit had sex and made a baby. Then that baby had an identity issue and despite his parents' wishes fell in love with a squirrel who he got pregnant even though they were only in high school. The squirrel was able to deliver the baby but died shortly thereafter.
Something Happened Somewhere Turning
You know, they do other things in that mountain over there. Weird things. Strange things. Things you can only imagine about until they get loose. Then, when your face to face with all that menagerie, you got ask yourself: WTF?
Karen
Napoleon is too freakish! You definitely need to move. My husband says it's a black squirrel, but I say no way, not unless it mated with a cat that mated with a rabbit. Try to get a close up, girl!!!
UNIDAD
I am a long time reader, first time poster. Looks like a lynx to me – do they have those where you are?
Love the blog, love the stories you tell about your kids, remind me so much of mine.
Miss Yvonne
Clearly that is a chupacabra. I had no idea they had migrated so far north already.
Lock up your goats and small animals! Ooh, and your babies! No wait. That's a dingo.
Robin
Yep. Abert's Squirrel (crossed with chupacabra).
mepsipax
Definately a chupacatra. That is a chupacabra that had sex with a cat. And viola. There might have been a squirrel too.
Kerri
Seriously. This made me laugh. And delurk.
Day job. Whatever. Day jobs are for losers who don't have mysterious creatures roaming their backyards. I agree with the young jackalope idea. And also I just have to love any post that gets people talking about chupacabras. We don't talk enough about chupacabras, I think.
Ed
You see? This is what happens when we let our domestic pets mingle with the indigenous creatures of nature.
That thing is mutant!
I am Trish Marie
Kenny says Rabisquirrel. Or Chupacabra.
Jules
Sigh. I really wish I didn't see this post. This is the kind of trivia that will keep me up at night.
I guess it does look like an Abert Squirrel…a freakishly large one! That thing looks like it's the size of a cat.
Cameron
Oh, this is going to make me CRAZY! I've just spent 30 minutes on Google and I've got nothing… seriously, this will be occupying my thoughts until we figure out what it is!
Jessica
I just found your blog – lmao.
I know you have probably figured this out already but yes, Napoleon is a Black Squirrel.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h285/wtwa/lolcats/funny-pictures-evil-black-squirrel.jpg
And I had to laugh at the saying at the bottom, because my 4 year-old step-twins favorite snack is a chocolate snack pack with sliced banana mixed in (which is how I assuage the guilt of the pudding).