Having a problem? Talk to the Mr Squirrel

Wagoner-Lynch feels his Squirrel resonates deeply with people, particularly Gen Z folks. Illustration: 123rf.com

Evan Wagoner-Lynch is a squirrel with a soothing, East Coast drawl – or rather he is on some days. He dons a furry gray hand puppet, aptly named Squirrel, and takes audiences on a walk through old-growth forests on Orcas Island, all while talking about difficult emotions like anxiety or loneliness and how to manage them.

He calls it a form of "self therapy," a creative performance that he brings to social media – and TikTok audiences love it. His account @squirrel_dialogues has over 150,000 followers and a million likes. The compassionate dialogues resonate with Gen-Z audiences, who leave comments like, "Thank you for being there Mr Squirrel."