[net.rec.birds] Albino Squirrels

schultz@inuxn.UUCP (Paula Schultz) (01/23/86)

Has anyone seen Albino Squirrels?  I have visited a friend in
Columbus, Ohio, and her neighborhood has a multitude of
white squirrels!!  Studies have even been done on why there
is such a concentration of them in that area.  They sure are
different looking--and are they ever skinny & runty looking.
They have to really fight for any food they get and they
other squirrels seem to treat them differently (quite rude,
in fact!!).
.
P. J. Schultz - Indianapolis

jla@inuxd.UUCP (Joyce Andrews) (01/25/86)

> Has anyone seen Albino Squirrels?  I have visited a friend in
> Columbus, Ohio, and her neighborhood has a multitude of
> white squirrels!!  Studies have even been done on why there
> is such a concentration of them in that area.  They sure are
> different looking--and are they ever skinny & runty looking.
> They have to really fight for any food they get and they
> other squirrels seem to treat them differently (quite rude,
> in fact!!).

A suburb of Cincinnati (Pleasant Ridge) has an abundance of white
squirrels.  They are not runts, but are every bit as large and
furry as their grey sisters and brothers.  There are many of
them--the population is probably about 20% white and 75% grey.
They mate with the greys and produce mixed litters.

I never tried to get close enough to see their eyes to see if
they are true albinos or are simply white squirrels, like the
white tigers of the Cincinnati Zoo (now THERE's a sight you
should see--larger than a typical orange Bengal and beautifully
marked--they'll take your breath away).

                                Joyce Andrews (ihnp4!inuxd!jla)

ins_avrd@jhunix.UUCP (Victoria Rosly D'ull) (01/29/86)

> > Has anyone seen Albino Squirrels?  I have visited a friend in
> > Columbus, Ohio, and her neighborhood has a multitude of
> > white squirrels!!  Studies have even been done on why there
> > is such a concentration of them in that area.  They sure are
> > different looking--and are they ever skinny & runty looking.
> > They have to really fight for any food they get and they
> > other squirrels seem to treat them differently (quite rude,
> > in fact!!).
> 
> A suburb of Cincinnati (Pleasant Ridge) has an abundance of white
> squirrels.  They are not runts, but are every bit as large and
> furry as their grey sisters and brothers.  There are many of
> them--the population is probably about 20% white and 75% grey.
> They mate with the greys and produce mixed litters.
> 
> I never tried to get close enough to see their eyes to see if
> they are true albinos or are simply white squirrels, like the
> white tigers of the Cincinnati Zoo (now THERE's a sight you
> should see--larger than a typical orange Bengal and beautifully
> marked--they'll take your breath away).
> 
>                                 Joyce Andrews (ihnp4!inuxd!jla)

Just wanted to add that white tigers are not limited to the Cincinnati
zoo -- there are a number of beautiful ones at the National Zoo in
Washington, D.C., and I believe elsewhere as well.