Skunk-squirrel? What is this odd critter seen in Ohio?

This squnk, it turns out, is actually a black squirrel. While it doesn't have any skunk DNA, it is still quite a rare sight. Black squirrels are the result of breeding between eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels: the animal seen here is actually an eastern gray squirrel who inherited a gene variant resulting in a darker coloration, according to Smithsonian Magazine.