All About White Squirrels

White squirrels are a striking genetic variation of the common Eastern Grey Squirrel, Sciuridae carolinensis, that are found in select pockets throughout eastern north America. While some white squirrels are true albinos with no pigmentation in their fur or their eyes, there are many other white squirrels have perfectly normal dark eyes. Others have patches of gray on top of their heads, shoulders or the tips of their tales. Nuances aside, white squirrels are treasured by the human communities that share their home and have inspired any number of fantastic origin stories, songs, legal protections and annual festivals of the white squirrel.

According to RoadsideAmerica.com, there are five separate towns in North America that claim to be the home of the the white squirrel. There's Brevard, North Carolina with it's White Squirrel Institute and squirrel population of about 25% albinos. Olney, Illinois makes a fuss over their white squirrels by giving them legal right of way on town streets and other legal protections. In Marrionville, Missourri, legend has it that their first white squirrels were escapes from a traveling circus traveling through in the days following the civil war. Similarly, the original white squirrels of Kenton, Tennessee hopped off of a passing Gypsie caravan in the late 1860's. Exter, Ontario boasts their own population of the little guys that the locals like to call the White Wonders. Each of these towns are fiercely proud and protective of their local rodent neighbors and their is fierce contention amongst the towns on who can rightly clam to be the true "Home of the White Squirrel."

As for the white squirrels themselves, they seem to go about their lives just like any of their brethren, seemingly oblivious that there is anything that separates them from the common squirrel. For instance, if a white squirrel becomes startled, it will often make itself as still and flat as possible against the gray bark of a tree, thinking that it is blending in perfectly. Although there are many examples of local folklore in regards to the origins of the white squirrels, the White Squirrel Institute posits that it is more likely that this is a simply genetic variation not unlike the less attractive black or melanistic squirrels, and that such colonies have been coming and going far before civilized man took proper notice.

"White Wonder" song by Peter Snell

Sources:

http://whitesquirrels.com/cart/
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel
http://www.whitesquirrelinstitute.whitesquirrelfestival.com/whitesquirrels.htm
http://whitesquirrels.ca/