Do you see what I see? I was walking through Prospect Park on Saturday when I saw this cheeky little chappy sitting in a tree. It’s a white squirrel.
i have never seen a white Squirrel before. According to Wikipedia they can be found in Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, North Carolina, Missouri and Ohio, and have been spotted in Maryland, Washington, DC, Minnesota and Washington. I suppose Wikipedia can add Brooklyn, NY, to the list now.
just in case you think he might be an escaped lab rat, here’s a shot of his white bushy tail.
Googling “white squirrel” can be a bit of a frightening experience, with all the towns that boast of being the home of the white/albino squirrel. Exeter, Ontario, even has it’s own “White Wonder” song.
Poor fellow has probably been eaten by now. Albinos have terrible eyesight which is a real bummer when there are plenty of things lurking around that want to eat them. We get them in UK too BTW
Very cute! I hope some day I am fortunate enough to see a white squirrel!
White squirrels legendarily reside in the park grounds surrounding the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health on Queen Street West, in Toronto, ON, which seems like a bit of a mean trick to play on the in-patients…
As a Minnesotan, I can vouch for the white squirrel phenomenon- Loring Park not only has one albino squirrel, but TWO all-black squirrels. I like to think that they govern the park as a trifecta.
I once heard years ago that capital cities around the world practice sharing squirrels. That is they take native squirrels from one country and send some to another, as a form of ambassodorship or something like that. Squirrel amabassodors!! Being from Maryland originally, I was used to seeing white, black, blue, gray, spotted, brown, all kinds of weirds squirrels. Some as small as chipmunks others as large as rabbits (the one in the photo is rather larger). I’m sure over the years the squirrels have mirgrated across the country. Not sure if this tale is true, but it could explain the strange sighting.
Ah, the squirrel wars! Here’s an intersting link for you to ponder. There are towns proclaiming themsleves the “White Squirrel Capital of the World”. Bare in mind some of the white squirrels are not albinos but of a unique breed. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels.html
I hope to some day see a white squirrel. Where I live we have black squirrels, some people are amazed to see them. I guess they are kind of rare. I used to think everyone had black squirrels like the brown ones. I have heard of Olney, IL that has the white ones. Thats south of us.