Photogenic Squirrel Steals Show

Have you seen the squirrel that seems to be inserted into a variety of everyday photos lately? Trust me, there isn't sudden rash of photogenic squirrels jumping in front of digital cameras around the world.

Instead, the squirrel's appearance in random photos is part of a trend copying a funny photo taken at Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. A couple set the automatic timer on their digital camera and waited for the shutter to snap. However, a squirrel jumped into the frame and stared into the camera, which shifted its auto-focus onto the squirrel, creating a funny, spontaneous photo.

In this age of the Internet and social networking, the squirrel photo was shared, quickly growing in popularity. Others decided to add squirrels to their photos as a joke, and the phenomenon of "Crasher Squirrel" was born.

So, despite what you're seeing on the Internet, there's no need to fear a rash of scene-stealing, photogenic squirrels ... unless you're in Alberta.