Albino: How often do you see one of these?

[Slamfire]

Albino squirrels are rare in the wild. However, in my neighborhood, this recessive gene has survived for several squirrel generations.

I was able to get a decent photo of one this morning.

 

[wankerjake]

Sweet. I've never seen an albino animal in the wild, very cool.

 

[Claude Clay]

I'd name him Edgar but you don't have much Winter in Alabama
....and this is my other brother Johniee

good pic, i have only seen one in the wild. that was 40+years ago.

 

[Humorris]

I have seen one albino deer as a kid, think it was a buck if i remember right.

 

[DeepSouth]

My dad killed a white Caribou but it didn't have the pink eyes, so I guess it's not technicality an albino.

Thanks for sharing the pics, how often do see one?

 

[Double Naught Spy]

For the past 15-20 years, there have been albino squirrels on the University of North Texas campus. Seeing one before a test is considered to be good luck. Much to the horror of onlookers, one was plucked off the ground by a hawk. It was a couple of years before another one was produced. I have seen them a few times, but was teaching there, so the test benefits didn't apply to me.

In Puebloan lore (and depending on the group) albino deer are seen as being spiritual animals and not to be hunted -their sightings thought to precede certain key events (natural, societal, or even personal) much like an omen.

Except in some circumstances, albinism isn't advantageous to most animals, though I would bet it would be a huge benefit during snowfall.

 

[Slamfire]

Thanks for sharing the pics, how often do see one?

Often. I have seen as many as two at one time in my neighborhood. And have pictures of them.

My Cat killed a baby albino squirrel and left the headless body for me to eat. That poor squirrel had pure white hair and pink skin.

If your Cat loves you, it will bring you goodies to feed on. (it once left me a fish!)

 

[davec921]

My uncle has 3 of them in his neighborhood.

Started with only one. then A few years later he saw a second. Now there are three.

Samrt little suckers.

 

[gyp_c2]

...one of my apprentices at work took a pic of an appaloosa squirrel last winter...Now think about THAT......

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Because you never know until you look...

Rate of ablinism in squirrels is about 1 in 100,000
http://www.sciencebuzz.org/blog/great_white_squirrels_are_they_albinos
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/weird/4692832.Rare_Croydon_albino_squirrel_not_so_rare/

Albino Squirrel Preservation Society...
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Albino_Squirrel_Preservation_Society

At least 5 towns use albino squirrels as their mascots...
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels.html

 

[csd4682]

I have only seen albino deer, and actually have seen quite a few in my area over the years. I have only seen one this year. I had a co-worker at a customers house, and the customer pointed out to him that her two white deer were in the yard. He looked and sure enough there were 2 albino bucks in the yard grazing. I have heard that you will have really bad luck hunting if you shoot an albino. I dont know how true this is, but I have a friend who shot one last year, and this year he missed about 6-9 deer with a $1000.00 crossbow from 30 yards or closer (even had a scope). Now im sure he was missing due to lack of skill (and that shakey buck fever), but thats pretty hard to miss that close with a scope. Oh, it was checked several times for accuracy, it was a tack driver. I would never shoot one.

 

[qajaq59]

I don't know if they are a true albinos with the pink eyes, but up in Westfield MA there are plenty of "white" squirrels.

 

[McCall911]

Cool!
But it does look like a lab rat with a bushy tail.

 

[JimKirk]

Back when the Robins were still flying to the South, we had a White Robin visit our pasture for 4 or 5 years. He would stay in the same area until they all flew back North.

Jimmy K

 

[interlock]

i bet the local goshawks just love them, they would see them from miles away!

 

[308win]

Google Olney Illinois. Very common when I was growing up. Used to shoot them outside town as they weren't protected there. The greys are slowly inter-breeding them out of existance.

 

[pat86323]

i have seen albino mice and stuff, never a squirrel. However a couple years ago i did see a MONSTER albino bull elk unfortunately he wouldnt let me get close enough for a deceny picture. Rumor has it there is a pretty good albino muley nearby though i havent seen him. I have also seen several piebald elk (splotchy white and "normal" color phase sometimes with the pink eyes)

 

[juk]

Last year there was a write-up in the local paper stating that there was an albino coot in the area, and then said where it was. Around here, that is like signing the death warrant.

I also heard of a guy that was deer hunting and saw an albino squirrel. He forgot about the deer, and started going after the squirrel. He said it gave him the "buck fever" shakes. LOL He finally got a shot at it, and it promptly fell out of the tree and went in a hole. He dug it out by breaking twigs off of a branch and twisting the branch in the hole. One pellet hit it.

Other than that, I have only seen an albino skunk, but I was more worried about getting as far away as possible at the time. It was bad enough it scared the heck out of me...The 7 others with it was the icing on the cake. I counted them as I was hightailing through the woods in the opposite direction

 

[gun addict]

Often. I have seen as many as two at one time in my neighborhood. And have pictures of them.

My Cat killed a baby albino squirrel and left the headless body for me to eat. That poor squirrel had pure white hair and pink skin.

If your Cat loves you, it will bring you goodies to feed on. (it once left me a fish!)

now that could be disputed, some experts thinks cats does that in a way she would feed and teach her kittens how to hunt.

Never seen any albino animals around here yet

 

[mrtrkdrvr]

Albino? White Deer

My wife took these in Sand Springs Ok, back a few months ago

 

[Nick5182]

Never seen an albino squirrel before, however, in our neighborhood we have a decent population of black squirrels which I think are pretty neat. Great pics BTW.

 

[AKElroy]

The other white meat.

 

[tommyintx]

i've never seen an albino squirrel.. i wonder how it tastes compared to our gray squirrels..

 

[308win]

You can't tell a difference

 

[CoRoMo]

I once saw a pair of moose twins that were definitely not albino, but were most certainly nowhere near as dark as I know they should be.

I come across countless moose, ever year when I hike into the backcountry to scout my hunting areas. A few years ago, I walk upon a cow and her twin calves. They were a light blond color with a touch of redness to it. Strawberry blond. All the moose calves I've ever laid eyes on have been the usual black & dark brown, but these were unique.



I always wonder if they'd retain that color or grow out of it. It be neat to kill a unique one like that.