One of the most familiar backyard creatures we have in the eastern part of the United States is the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). They are on our trees, robbing our bird feeders, “begging” for a snack in the park, but they are not always all the same. Some areas have local populations of melanistic, leucistic, or albino squirrels, and in some cases, these black or white appearances seem to possibly even be a color morph. I photographed this squirrel last week, and its dark (not red) eyes suggest it is not an albino even though it looked so very white.
Such a beautiful creature! It certainly seemed more wary than the average squirrel, keeping a close eye on me just after sunset and not letting me anywhere even close to the oak tree before scurrying to another one. I guess you have to be extra careful when you stand out so much…
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
