By Tim Binnall
A trail camera in South Dakota snapped multiple photos of a 'mystery creature' that has left experts divided. The enigmatic images were captured at the Jewel Cave National Monument back in June and shared last week in a social media post wherein the park asked for "help settling a debate." Explaining that they believe the creature in question is either a striped skunk or a porcupine, they conceded that "even our Science and Resource Management team is completely split on this one."
Making the case for the 'Team Skunk,' the park explained that the nocturnal animals sport "bushy tails that often stick straight up," which could account for the fur seen in the photos. Arguing for 'Team Porcupine,' they noted that the rodents boast "lighter colored quills that warn predators to stay away." That said, the park noted that 90% of the Jewel Cave National Monument was decimated by fire in 2000. As a result, they lamented, "porcupine habitats were severely impacted." To that end, if the animal seen in the photos is the elusive rodent, the park marveled, "it would be one of the very first reported sightings here" in over 25 years. Into which camp do you fall? Cast your lot in the 'great debate' at the C2C Facebook page.