Three baby squirrels have undergone emergency surgery after being discovered fused together by their tails in an exceptionally rare phenomenon.
The youngsters had become hopelessly tangled in fibres and grasses from their nest as they grew, leaving them unable to separate.
A Good Samaritan discovered the distressed trio and rushed them to wildlife specialists at ReWilding Indiana in the US.
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The bizarre condition is commonly known as a “squirrel king” – named after the equally strange “rat king” phenomenon in which multiple rodents become joined by their tails, as reported by Need To Know.
Despite its dramatic name, the squirrels are not born conjoined.
It usually happens when youngsters sharing a cramped nest become caught in sticky tree sap or nesting materials such as grass, twigs, string or even discarded plastic.
Their long tails can become increasingly twisted as the frightened animals struggle to escape, tightening the knot and potentially restricting the blood supply.
Without human intervention, affected squirrels may face serious injury, starvation or attack by predators because they cannot climb or flee normally.
Vets individually sedated each of the three patients before attempting to untangle their tails.
Two doctors and a veterinary student then performed surgery in an effort to preserve as much of each tail as possible.
Sharing news of the extraordinary rescue, ReWilding Indiana said: “This phenomenon is incredibly rare, and is called a Squirrel King!”
The organisation added: “We’re hopeful for their recovery.”
However, wildlife specialists warned that returning the youngsters to the wild could prove challenging because any lasting tail damage may affect their ability to survive independently.
A squirrel’s tail is far more than a fluffy decoration.
It helps the animal balance while racing along branches, acts as a rudder when leaping and is used to communicate warnings and other social signals.
Squirrels can also wrap their tails around their bodies for warmth and use them to provide some protection from the weather.
Squirrel kings are related to the centuries-old “rat king” mystery, although modern cases involving live squirrels provide clearer evidence of how such entanglements can occur naturally.
ReWilding Indiana said the rescued trio would remain under observation while its team assessed the best future for each animal.
The charity brings together veterinary staff, licensed wildlife rehabilitators and volunteers across central Indiana.
Formerly known as Hancock Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, it has operated since October 2022 and now has its main rehabilitation centre in Fortville, with additional licensed rehabilitators in Greenfield and Fishers.
The centre said: “Squirrels rely heavily on their tails for balance, communication and survival.
“We’ll continue to monitor their progress and determine what’s best for each squirrel moving forward.”
The extraordinary rescue left social media users stunned, with some admitting they had assumed squirrel kings were merely a legend.
One person said: “Wow, I thought those were a myth.”
Another person commented: “That’s crazy! I thought this was some weird taxidermy when I came across it.”
A third person joked: “I thought this was the start of some sacrificial offering – too much American Horror Story for me.”
A fourth person added: “We got a squirrel king before GTA VI.”
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