Forget 50 shades of GREY ... or RED or BLACK. We’re nuts for WHITE squirrels
THE sight of a grey squirrel or two rummaging in suburban gardens for food may be an everyday event.
But some householders have been given an extremely rare treat – the arrival of a family of white squirrels.
Wildlife experts say the odds against a pure white squirrel being born are 100,000 to one. With an estimated squirrel population of around 2.5 million in the UK, that means there may only be 25 white squirrels in the whole of Britain.
So residents in Barnton, Edinburgh, have been surprised to see no fewer than four scampering in their gardens.
Although albinos are thought to suffer from defects in their sight and hearing, the mother and her offspring appear to have no problem mingling with their grey cousins.
While they stand out clearly against their green surroundings, they have so far evaded cats and other predators.
Lorraine Hunter, 59, said: ‘We have lived here for 24 years and we first saw a white squirrel a few years ago – I didn’t even know they existed. Now our female has had babies, they are very cute.
‘They are so rare we feel very lucky to have them. The most I’ve had in the garden is four at once, but usually I see one or two. Albinos are supposed to have poor eyesight but these squirrels see me from a distance – and they see the cat from a distance too.’
Another resident who has fed the rare white squirrels in his garden said: ‘There was a pair of white squirrels, and then one day we saw a baby. Then there were two babies.’
Scottish SPCA national wildlife rescue centre manager Colin Seddon said: ‘Albino grey squirrels are rare, largely because their colour makes them more visible to predators such as birds of prey and domestic cats.’
A spokesman for the Woodland Trust said: ‘It is extremely rare to see one albino squirrel let alone four, so this Edinburgh family is unique indeed.’