Who is Peanut the squirrel and what happened to him?

Peanut the squirrel, a beloved pet that garnered internet stardom, has been euthanised by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, leaving his owner devastated.

The squirrel, also known as P'Nut or PNUT, amassed over 600,000 Instagram followers with people eager for updates on the squirrel's day-to-day life.

Sadly, the last post took a sad turn with owner Mark Longo sharing an emotional clip.

"RIP MY BEST FRIEND. Thank you for the best 7 years of my life. Thank you for bringing so much joy to us and the world. I’m sorry I failed you but thank you for everything," he penned as the caption.

The news has sparked outrage across the internet – even from the likes of Elon Musk who shared an AI-generated image of the squirrel as Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you could possibly imagine," he wrote on X/Twitter, adding: "Obi PNut Kenobi."

Here's everything we know:

Who is Peanut the squirrel?

Peanut the squirrel was the pet of content creator Mark Longo. Longo shared Instagram content of Peanut's life. The account @peanut_the_squirrel12 went on to grow a cult following of over 600,000 fans.

Longo adopted Peanut when he was just five weeks old when the squirrel's mother was killed in a car accident. Peanut's "legs were weak" but he "powered through" and became stronger and healthier.

Longo attempted to set Peanut free into the wild – but he later returned back to the house, battered and with a tail injury.

The squirrel and Longo became inseparable with the content creator taking Peanut in as his pet.

What happened to Peanut the squirrel?

On 30 October, Peanut the squirrel and Longo's other pet Fred the raccoon were taken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The DEC reportedly received anonymous complaints, resulting in "at least six officers" showing up at Longo's door to take the animals away.

The DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health said in a statement they are "coordinating to ensure the protection of public health related to the illegal possession of wild animals that have the potential to carry the rabies virus."

The DEC also said it's illegal to keep wildlife as pets as they are "not well suited for life in captivity. Plus, they may carry diseases that can be given to people."

Peanut and Fred were later euthanised by authorities. The DEC and the Chemung County Department of Health claimed it was because a member of the team was bitten by Peanut.

"To test for rabies, both animals were euthanised," they said in a joint statement. "The animals are being tested for rabies and anyone who has been in contact with these animals is strongly encouraged to consult their physician."

How have people responded?

Longo was understandably devastated by the outcome.

In a statement, he wrote: "It is with profound sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news: on October 30th, the DEC made the devastating decision to euthanize our beloved Peanut the squirrel and Fred the raccoon. Despite our passionate outcry for compassion, the agency chose to ignore our pleas, leaving us in deep shock and grief. To add to our anguish, they informed the media of their decision before even notifying P’nuts Freedom Farm, his loving home. This demonstrates a troubling lack of respect and empathy. Their lives were precious, and we refuse to accept this loss in silence."

Congressman Nick Langworthy turned to X/Twitter to express his frustration at how the situation was handled.

He said: "The NYS DEC needs a serious reality check on their ridiculously mistaken priorities. Instead of focusing on critical needs like flood mitigation in places like Steuben County, where local officials have to struggle just to get permits from the DEC to clear debris-filled waterways, they’re out seizing pet squirrels. NY taxpayers deserve better."

Meanwhile, Elon Musk weighed in on the controversial decision.

In response to the question, "What kind of person do these agencies employ? Who has it in them to murder a bloody pet squirrel?" Musk wrote: "The government is a mindless and heartless killing machine".

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