A majority of respondents to our mystery photo earlier this week believe the long, thin black critter photographed along Chiques Creek, near Manheim in Lancaster County, to be a mink.
Although dimensions are difficult to determine without any objects of known size in the photo to use for scale, if the animal is a mink it's likely a large male.
Other guesses included otter, weasel and fisher, three close relatives of the mink, albeit relatives of considerably different proportions.
In addition, a few respondents also suggested black bear, wolverine, ant eater and mole.
Although the Pennsylvania's mink population has been on the rise for many years - both in sheer numbers and in range - many are surprised to learn just how widespread the small predator actually is. Nearly all streams throughout the region are now frequented by at least a few mink.
And, the historically shy and nocturnal animal has been showing itself more and more to humans along the streams, and more regularly during daytime hours.
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, more than 10,000 mink are trapped by licensed furtakers annually across the state during a relatively short trapping season from mid-November through early January.
An average adult male mink is about two feet long, including eight inches of tail, and weighs about two pounds. Females are about 10 percent smaller than males.
They are semi-aquatic and generally found close to water. On land, they move with an arch-backed bounce. Although they lack the webbed feet of some aquatic mammals, they do have heavy hairs between the toes of their hind feet that help to propel them through the water.