causes the jet-black squirrels I've seen in Arlington lately then?
Mother nature balancing things out: warmer temps mean more white squirrels to reflect sunlight. Global cooling makes for more black squirrels to absorb sunlight and warm the world back up.
On a completely unrelated note, I think I'll be starting a mandatory squirrel credit exchange for entirely altruistic reasons and totally not as a way to use government regs to line my own pockets.
There used to be more black squirrels than the regular gray ones in Toronto (they are both the same species.) I haven't seen them around Boston, but they are cool-looking!
In the wild, the white squirrels would have been at a severe disadvantage. But in the city, with few, if any, predators and many humans who will happily feed them, white squirrels are more likely to survive and therefore, pass on their genes to the next generation.
Comments
Adorable!
White squirrels
There seem to be more of these albino/white morph squirrels around here than previously. I wonder if something is causing it.
global warming
Or Al Gore.
Not sure which.
global cooling
causes the jet-black squirrels I've seen in Arlington lately then?
Mother nature balancing things out: warmer temps mean more white squirrels to reflect sunlight. Global cooling makes for more black squirrels to absorb sunlight and warm the world back up.
On a completely unrelated note, I think I'll be starting a mandatory squirrel credit exchange for entirely altruistic reasons and totally not as a way to use government regs to line my own pockets.
Black squirrels
There used to be more black squirrels than the regular gray ones in Toronto (they are both the same species.) I haven't seen them around Boston, but they are cool-looking!
My neighborhood has tons of
My neighborhood has tons of black squirrels. There must be families of them around. A friend visiting had never seen one.
Have you seen these crazy things
It's a squirrel - but looks a little like a raccoon. See them all the time in NC.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/36565629@N07/3701462075
Kinda like the zebra squirrel someone mentioned - just more like a raccoon
Cuteness Factor
In the wild, the white squirrels would have been at a severe disadvantage. But in the city, with few, if any, predators and many humans who will happily feed them, white squirrels are more likely to survive and therefore, pass on their genes to the next generation.
Great.
Does this mean we'll have zebra striped squirrels? That would be cool.
White Squirrels
White squirrels are common in other states. Maybe he hopped a ride on a truck.
http://www.ncfieldfamily.org/nc-living/white-squirrels-truth-or-tale/
There used to be a white
There used to be a white squirrel that hung around Jamaica Pond. Anybody seen it lately?
he moved....
...to Rozzy.
I remember that squirrel
I haven't seen him (or her) in a while.
Brookline Turkeys
gentrified the white squirrels out of JP.