There's an effort to map where white squirrels are showing up in North America. We did some research after seeing one in our neighborhood a few years back - like this one, ours wasn't albino, which you can differentiate because squirrels with albinism have red eyes.
Edit: this lil guy is probably better off in the snow than otherwise, better camouflage! 😍
But doesn't the white colouring also make them have to work harder to stay warm? I figured that was why we always saw so many black squirrels in Ontario. Never see the hawks target them either, they fight back and mob predators.
Well I'm not sure about that, but that's a good point...
Polar bears have translucent hair that looks white, and black skin. Looks like black squirrels have black skin. So maybe it depends if this white squirrel still has black skin underneath 🤷♀️ I'm going to tell myself that the lil guy will be fine because that's a happier ending 😅
Never see the hawks target them either, they fight back and mob predators.
Ooh cool! So just the other day, my husband saw a hawk grab a grey squirrel. And a squirrel buddy came over and attacked the hawk and rescued the first squirrel!! We've never seen or heard of anything like that before. These were grey squirrels.
Maybe squirrels are a lot more roughty toughty than I've been giving them credit for! 😁
29 Comments
wuffah@lemmy.world · 53 pts · 252d
Was it really necessary for your sister to shoot it? :(
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 251d
yes. we must devour its soul
ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 251d
Oh I'm sorry, I thought this was America. I'm not allowed to defend myself?
wuffah@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 251d
Look out! It’s comin’ right for us!
ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 251d
He's got an acorn!
Sarcasmo@piefed.social · 21 pts · 252d
Such a cute squirrel. Why did your sister shoot it?
squirrel@piefed.kobel.fyi · 12 pts · 252d
Hi friend
Quokka@quokk.au · 11 pts · 252d
The urge to want to dig in and eat, but the need to make sure no one is going to eat you. What a tough predicament.
CreateProblems@corndog.social · 10 pts · 252d
Hey, you/your sister should submit a report of this squirrel spotting!
https://untamedscience.com/biodiversity/white-squirrel/
There's an effort to map where white squirrels are showing up in North America. We did some research after seeing one in our neighborhood a few years back - like this one, ours wasn't albino, which you can differentiate because squirrels with albinism have red eyes.
Edit: this lil guy is probably better off in the snow than otherwise, better camouflage! 😍
yucandu@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 251d
But doesn't the white colouring also make them have to work harder to stay warm? I figured that was why we always saw so many black squirrels in Ontario. Never see the hawks target them either, they fight back and mob predators.
CreateProblems@corndog.social · 5 pts · 251d
Well I'm not sure about that, but that's a good point...
Polar bears have translucent hair that looks white, and black skin. Looks like black squirrels have black skin. So maybe it depends if this white squirrel still has black skin underneath 🤷♀️ I'm going to tell myself that the lil guy will be fine because that's a happier ending 😅
CreateProblems@corndog.social · 4 pts · 251d
Ooh cool! So just the other day, my husband saw a hawk grab a grey squirrel. And a squirrel buddy came over and attacked the hawk and rescued the first squirrel!! We've never seen or heard of anything like that before. These were grey squirrels.
Maybe squirrels are a lot more roughty toughty than I've been giving them credit for! 😁
AoxoMoxoA@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 251d
After seeing the videos of squirrel attacks on humans and dogs I can't believe any wild animal sees them as prey
yucandu@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 251d
This was in Exeter, Ontario, Canada, neat to see it on the top 5 list, neither of us had any idea!
mystrawberrymind@piefed.ca · 9 pts · 252d
Neat! I’ve never seen a white squirrel before:)
LillyPip@lemmy.ca · 8 pts · 252d
I found my nuts. Stop watching, ya perv.
(He’s beautiful)
Triumph@fedia.io · 4 pts · 252d
Is this in Olney, IL, Home of the White Squirrels?
yucandu@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 251d
Exeter, Ontario, Canada.
jade52@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 251d
We've had a few sightings in Toronto too!
Bob_Robertson_IX@discuss.tchncs.de · 1 pts · 252d
I wondered that too... I have distant family in Olney and have always loved seeing the white squirrels when I visit.
Triumph@fedia.io · 1 pts · 252d
I also happen to know that there are very many black squirrels in Rock Island, IL.
lemming741@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 251d
Brevard NC also has them. There's a music festival named for them!
Fizz@lemmy.nz · 3 pts · 252d
I would have thought they were hibernating. He must not have collected enough nuts inside his tree storage.
Soggy@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 252d
Tree squirrels don't hibernate.
Fizz@lemmy.nz · 2 pts · 251d
what other kind of squirrels are there? Saying tree squirrels to me is like saying water fish.
Soggy@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 251d
Ground squirrels. Marmots, chipmunks, prairie dogs, that sort of thing.
ayyy@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 251d
It sure looks like you baited this squirrel with something to keep it still for your video…
yucandu@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 251d
I think she left a plate of seed out for the squirrels by her window, to entertain her indoor cats.
ayyy@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 251d
:(