We report the observation of an albino male Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (Red Squirrel) from Sainte-Luce in eastern Quebec, Canada. While occurrences of entirely albino individuals have been sporadically reported in the wild in other sciurid species, true albinism is rare in T. hudsonicus. That albino sciurids can survive in the wild may be related to their relatively minor visual deficits compared to other albino mammals, which experience a greater loss of vision. The lack of pigmentation, however, may be a major disadvantage in the wild for the Red Squirrel, which is a diurnal and arboreal prey species. In conjunction with the recessive nature of albinism, it is not surprising that albino individuals are rarely reported for this species.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 October 2013
Report of an Albino Red Squirrel from Sainte-Luce, Quebec, Canada
Jean Ferron,
Pierre Laplante
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
Northeastern Naturalist
Vol. 20 • No. 4
October 2013
Vol. 20 • No. 4
October 2013