The Tree Squeak, also known as the Arborexusta stridens, is a very elusive cryptid that is said to live in the trees and forests of Maine.
| Cryptid Name: | Tree Squeak |
| Location: | Maine |
| Category: | Folklore Cryptid |
| Description: | Small, weasel or sloth-like creatures with bark-colored skin. |
| Size: | Approximately the size of a weasel. |
| Behavior/Characteristics: | Chameleon-like, wraps around tree trunks, high-pitched cries, sometimes aggressive, nocturnal. |
| Diet: | Berries and fruit |
| Habitat/Environment: | Trees. |
| Evidence: | High-pitched cries and vocalizations, concealed appearance, descriptions in local folklore |
| Sightings and Encounters: | Commonly heard but rarely seen, especially in the North Woods. |
| Skepticism/Explanations: | Some claim the sounds are mistaken for natural phenomena like creaking trees |
What Does The Tree Sqeak Look Like?
The Tree Squeak is described as a small mammal that looks like a weasel or sloth. It has brown or bark-colored fur which allows it to blend into its surroundings. It is nocturnal and it has big white eyes that help it to see well at night and it is said to hibernate through the winter months.
Source: Bangor Daily News 8 January 1971
The Tree Squeak Legend
The legend of the Tree Squeak can be found in Henry Tryon’s book called, “Fearsome Critters” which shares the stories and legends of North American lumberjack folklore.
Some folks will claim that the mating call of the Tree-squeak is just a dry tree lodged in a “school-marm.” But we old boys know better. The sound is made by an untrustworthy animal still quite common in the North Woods.
Built something like a weasel, and with the same nice, friendly disposition, he is chameleon-like, and can wrap himself around a tree-trunk and match the bark exactly. He is sometimes aggressive, but only after a long, dry spell.
He has a variety of calls; a whine like a panther, a squeal like a young pig, and sometimes a roar like a bunch of cannon crackers at a shotgun wedding. Look out for him on windy days along towards sundown.
Fearsome Critters
Source: Fearsome Critters
