Does white squirrel exist?
Jan 13, 2014 18:40:18 #
Yes, here it is in Bloomington, Minnessota. Albino squirrel?
Nikon D40. Comments welcome.
Nikon D40. Comments welcome.
Jan 13, 2014 18:41:09 #
Jan 13, 2014 18:46:27 #
BruceK wrote:
Cool shot! I thought these guys were science fiction.
Aw! man, that's just a white rat with a fluffy tail. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Jan 13, 2014 18:47:14 #
Excellent shots, I've seen photos of them before and there is one town where they are a lot of them and they are protected very well .
Pete
Pete
Jan 13, 2014 18:47:35 #
Amazing, I have seen 1000's of squirrels but never a white one (until now). Thanks for posting the photo.
Jan 13, 2014 18:52:37 #
There are albino deer, why not albino squirrel's? Although I've never seen one. Looking at it's pinkish ears and hands, I'd say it's a albino. You were at the right place at the right time.
Jan 13, 2014 19:01:55 #
Nice shot. There are reports of an albino fox squirrel in Lynchburg, VA but I have not been able to catch him. I'm still lookin'.......
Jan 13, 2014 19:03:34 #
pardon the long copy and paste
Local pride[edit]
Welcome sign for Kenton, Tennessee, an example of competition for "White Squirrel Capital".Olney, Illinois, known as the "White Squirrel Capital of the World", is home of the world's largest known white squirrel colony. These squirrels have the right of way on all streets in the town, with a $500 fine for hitting one. The Olney Police Department features the image of a white squirrel on its officers' uniform patches.[43]
Along with Olney, there are four other towns in North America that avidly compete with each other to be the official "Home of the White Squirrel", namely: Marionville, Missouri; Brevard, North Carolina; Exeter, Ontario; and Kenton, Tennessee, each of which holds an annual white squirrel festival, among other things designed to promote their claim of "White Squirrel Capital".[44]
Other towns that have reported white squirrel populations in North America (although not necessarily competing to be the "official" white squirrel capital) include Columbia, Mississippi;[45] Dayton, Ohio;[citation needed] DeForest, Wisconsin;[46] Queenstown, Maryland;[citation needed] Stratford, Connecticut;[47] and some of the snowbelt cities in the Western, Central and Finger Lakes regions of New York State (Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse).[citation needed]. White squirrels have also been spotted in Broad Ripple Village, Indianapolis.[citation needed]
Campus populations[edit]In addition to the various towns that boast of their white squirrel populations, a number of university campuses in North America have white squirrels. The University of Texas at Austin is home to a white squirrel population which has spurred the myth of the albino squirrel as a good luck charm. There are many versions of the tale; one of the more popular versions is if one spots the albino squirrel before an exam, they will ace it.[41][48] The University of North Texas has an Albino Squirrel Preservation Society, founded in 2001.[citation needed] In 2006, the University of North Texas held a student referendum to name their white squirrel as the university's secondary mascot, but the vote was narrowly defeated by the student body.[49] University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire has a significant white squirrel population both on the campus and in other areas of the city of Eau Claire. Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan is home to frequently sighted white squirrels that live on and around the campus.[50] A Facebook group dedicated to these squirrels, called I've Seen the Albino Squirrel of Michigan Tech, was created for people to post photographs and anecdotes of their encounters with the white squirrels, and includes some stories from Michigan Tech alumni that recall seeing white squirrels in Houghton dating back to the 1930s.
In Kentucky, the University of Louisville has established its own chapter of the"Albino Squirrel Preservation Society", which maintains contact with its members and interested parties through a Facebook group by that name. The university has an open policy to give away a free t-shirt to anyone who takes a photograph of a white squirrel on campus grounds and brings it to the administration offices.[51]
Other university campuses that have albino squirrel populations include Oberlin College in Ohio,[52] Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio,[53] Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky (which has had a population of albino squirrels since the 1960s),[40] and Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio.[citation needed]
Dr. Michael Stokes, a biology professor at Western Kentucky University, commented that the probable cause for the abundance of white squirrels on university campuses was because they were originally introduced by someone: "We're not sure how they got here, but I'll tell you how it usually happens...When you see them, especially around a college campus or parks, somebody brought them in because they thought it would be neat to have white squirrels around."[40]
Dr. Albert Meier, another biology professor at Western Kentucky University, added that: "... white squirrels rarely survive in the wild because they can't easily hide. But on a college campus, they are less likely to be consumed by other animals."[40]
A true albino squirrel. Note the pink eyes.
Local pride[edit]
Welcome sign for Kenton, Tennessee, an example of competition for "White Squirrel Capital".Olney, Illinois, known as the "White Squirrel Capital of the World", is home of the world's largest known white squirrel colony. These squirrels have the right of way on all streets in the town, with a $500 fine for hitting one. The Olney Police Department features the image of a white squirrel on its officers' uniform patches.[43]
Along with Olney, there are four other towns in North America that avidly compete with each other to be the official "Home of the White Squirrel", namely: Marionville, Missouri; Brevard, North Carolina; Exeter, Ontario; and Kenton, Tennessee, each of which holds an annual white squirrel festival, among other things designed to promote their claim of "White Squirrel Capital".[44]
Other towns that have reported white squirrel populations in North America (although not necessarily competing to be the "official" white squirrel capital) include Columbia, Mississippi;[45] Dayton, Ohio;[citation needed] DeForest, Wisconsin;[46] Queenstown, Maryland;[citation needed] Stratford, Connecticut;[47] and some of the snowbelt cities in the Western, Central and Finger Lakes regions of New York State (Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse).[citation needed]. White squirrels have also been spotted in Broad Ripple Village, Indianapolis.[citation needed]
Campus populations[edit]In addition to the various towns that boast of their white squirrel populations, a number of university campuses in North America have white squirrels. The University of Texas at Austin is home to a white squirrel population which has spurred the myth of the albino squirrel as a good luck charm. There are many versions of the tale; one of the more popular versions is if one spots the albino squirrel before an exam, they will ace it.[41][48] The University of North Texas has an Albino Squirrel Preservation Society, founded in 2001.[citation needed] In 2006, the University of North Texas held a student referendum to name their white squirrel as the university's secondary mascot, but the vote was narrowly defeated by the student body.[49] University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire has a significant white squirrel population both on the campus and in other areas of the city of Eau Claire. Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan is home to frequently sighted white squirrels that live on and around the campus.[50] A Facebook group dedicated to these squirrels, called I've Seen the Albino Squirrel of Michigan Tech, was created for people to post photographs and anecdotes of their encounters with the white squirrels, and includes some stories from Michigan Tech alumni that recall seeing white squirrels in Houghton dating back to the 1930s.
In Kentucky, the University of Louisville has established its own chapter of the"Albino Squirrel Preservation Society", which maintains contact with its members and interested parties through a Facebook group by that name. The university has an open policy to give away a free t-shirt to anyone who takes a photograph of a white squirrel on campus grounds and brings it to the administration offices.[51]
Other university campuses that have albino squirrel populations include Oberlin College in Ohio,[52] Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio,[53] Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky (which has had a population of albino squirrels since the 1960s),[40] and Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio.[citation needed]
Dr. Michael Stokes, a biology professor at Western Kentucky University, commented that the probable cause for the abundance of white squirrels on university campuses was because they were originally introduced by someone: "We're not sure how they got here, but I'll tell you how it usually happens...When you see them, especially around a college campus or parks, somebody brought them in because they thought it would be neat to have white squirrels around."[40]
Dr. Albert Meier, another biology professor at Western Kentucky University, added that: "... white squirrels rarely survive in the wild because they can't easily hide. But on a college campus, they are less likely to be consumed by other animals."[40]
A true albino squirrel. Note the pink eyes.
Jan 13, 2014 19:34:17 #
Jan 13, 2014 19:40:48 #
greg vescuso
Loc: Ozark,Mo.
There is a town called Olney Il. and they have a population of white squirrels they protect at there local park. I know they are somewhere in New York State to. Here is a picture of one I took in Olney Il. I believe they are known as Albino Squirrels which is what this one is, they also had some white ones too but their eyes where not blue. When I was driving trucks a about 6 years ago I had to go to Olney Il. to a Wal-Mart distribution center and they had signs going or leaving town stating Onley Il. was the home of the white squirrels. On one trip I parked my truck at the truck stop and unloaded my bicycle and thru on my tarmac back pack with a canon 40d and a sigma 150-500 and went about three miles thru town to the park. It was raining on and off that day so the pictures I got of the squirrels that day show they needed a bath. If your ever going thru or close to Olney stop at the park and see the white squirrels.
Jan 13, 2014 20:39:12 #
When I lived in Kentucky in the 80's there was a town nearby that had a colony of white squirrels. The story, printed in the local paper, said that they are not albinos, but a rare breed found only in certain areas. Here in North Carolina there is a town by the name of Brevard, that is well known for large numbers of them and uses them as a tourist draw. I never saw any when visiting there, but did see one in my yard in a nearby town several times. They had been seen in several other areas.
Jan 13, 2014 21:04:59 #
My best friend lives in Brevard, N.C and I have seen them in the gated community where she lives. They are cute!!
Jan 13, 2014 22:00:34 #
Great shot! I have never seen a white one. We have red, grey and a few rare black squirrels around here.
Jan 13, 2014 22:03:36 #
Jan 14, 2014 08:41:40 #
I grew up in Beardstown,Il and we had a family of white squirrels that lived in my block they were born every year til I graduated and moved away I don't know if they are still there or not.
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