17 year old Brian Genest saw it as what he thought would be the perfect photo opportunity. As Brian Genest was walking through beautiful John Chestnut Park in Palm Harbor, Florida, according to WCVB.com, he spotted what looked like a friendly squirrel on one of the handrails. So Brian walked over to it. John Chestnut Park is home to various wildlife including raccoons, alligators, various waterfowl, hawks, vultures, tortoises/turtles and more. Brian Genest was on a vacation with his family, and decided he wanted to take a selfie with the squirrel.
A selfie is a self portrait photograph and selfies are often shared on social networking sites. They are often casual, and are typically taken either with a camera held at arm’s length or in a mirror. “I approached it making a clicking noise with my tongue; phone drawn,” Brian said. “When I got close enough, the squirrel actually tried grabbing my phone. I shook it off, and then snapped this photo,” he said, according to the Huffington Post.
“The next thing I knew, the squirrel was on my shoulder, then under my shirt, and then hanging off my back!” Brain said according to Metro UK. “He jumped on my shoulder and went down my shirt,” Brian Genest said according to ABC Action News. “I ended up doing a stop, drop and roll kind of thing,” Brian said.
It was all captured on camera. Brian Genest’s mother Paula was standing by with her camera and continued to snap away as the squirrel climbed up her son’s back. “I was thinking this is going to be hilarious,” she said, according to ABC News. Despite initial fears, a rabies shot was not necessary. The story has gone viral.
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Image credit: www.thedenverchannel.com