A policeman in Plymouth, Massachusetts, enjoyed a visit from a tiny creature recently who just wanted to say hello.
Officer Andrew Whelan was going about his day and directing traffic when something landed on his uniform, the Plymouth Police Department explained in a social media post on Sunday.
The officer soon realized it was a flying squirrel whose big dark eyes and soft brown fur has since captured the hearts of the department’s followers.
“Andrew named him Snookems. Rumor has it, When Officer Whelan goes on Patrol, Snookems might be in his pocket,” the agency said:
While directing traffic, Officer Andrew Whelan flinched a little when this flying squirrel came at him, but then he just…
Posted by Plymouth Police Department on Sunday, November 27, 2022
“Oh how sweet! Thank you Officer Whelan!” one user wrote, while another asked, “Can I keep him???”
“Awwwwww. I’d freak out but I find it adorable on anyone else! Way to “protect & serve”… even wildlife!” someone else replied.
The creature appeared to be a northern flying squirrel, a species the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife said has a layer of loose skin between their forelegs and and hindlegs that enables them to fly through the air.
“They have been known to cover more than 150 feet in a single glide. Northern Flying Squirrels are slightly larger than the Southern Flying Squirrel at 10 to 12 inches in length,” the agency noted, adding the squirrels prefer coniferous and mixed forests.
The species “may exist in Massachusetts in hardwood forests with old dead trees that provide nesting holes. They live in snags, woodpecker holes, nest boxes, and abandoned bird or squirrel nests,” it continued.
Video footage showed a flying squirrel looking for food during the winter months, launching itself from one tree to another in the moonlight with its arms spread out:
Upon landing, the creature ran up the tree trunk to continue its search for food. The squirrels have been known to make 180 degree turns in mid-air to avoid owls who are also looking for their next meal, according to Discovery.
