Swansea Mystery Mammal Might Be a Monkey

When it comes to wild and random animals, Swansea seems to be the hotspot on the SouthCoast.

Swansea is best known for its majestic swans and roadside sheep, but could a monkey be added to the list as well?

Over the weekend, resident Lisa Aguiar spotted something in her backyard that caught her by surprise. Climbing up one of her trees was a furry animal that she couldn't quite make out, but she claims it had a striking resemblance to that of a monkey.

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Now, you can argue that it's a squirrel depicted in the photo and I can see it, too; however, it's a bit elongated to be a squirrel and the tail is abnormally long. Trust me, if anyone knows the characteristics of a squirrel, it's me.

The white underbelly is clearly the giveaway of a squirrel, but if you look closely, the arms and legs of this mystery animal appear to be longer than that of a squirrel. I was able to zoom in and trace the shadowy outline of the tree-climbing creature and lo and behold, whatever the heck it is, it's not exactly that of a normal acorn-collecting rodent.

Courtesy Lisa Aguiar

Although it's highly unlikely of a wild monkey is roaming the town of Swansea, you can never be too sure. It's illegal to own any type of primate in Massachusetts, so at least from a legal standpoint it can be ruled out – but in the end, this is no squirrel, if you ask me.

Massachusetts Wildlife You Can Legally Take Home as Pets

Massachusetts has such diverse wildlife, but also strict limitations on what you can bring home and cuddle. In fact, there are only certain reptiles and amphibians you can keep as pets (so no raccoons, squirrels, bunnies, etc.) and you are only allowed two of each. The state also says "you cannot sell, barter, or exchange them." Also, keep in mind, these are wildlife, so it's probably best to just leave them be and maybe visit a reptile shop instead to get your next pet.

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Filed Under: monkey, Squirrel, swansea

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