Rare white squirrel with a genetic mutation that occurs one in 100,000 times is spotted running across a street in Caerphilly
- There have been rumours for weeks that the albino squirrel was roaming around Ystrad Mynach
- Maria Smith took a photo of the rodent when she saw it outside the library
Residents of Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly, South Wales, were left in shock when they spotted a rare white squirrel wandering through the streets.
The white squirrel, which numbers one in every 100,000, was unfazed when it was spotted nibbling on crumbs on a busy city centre street.
Rumours had been circulating for several weeks that the albino squirrel was roaming the streets of Ystrad Mynach, with neighbours telling stories of sightings.
But Maria Smith was able to snap a photo of the elusive rodent when she spotted it outside the city library last weekend.
She captioned the photo “finally” as she shared it on social media. Other locals described the creature as “beautiful.”
Residents of Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly, South Wales, were left in shock when they spotted a rare white squirrel wandering through the streets
Kevin Hart said he saw the animal “once or twice a week.”
He said, ‘I’ve lived here for two years now and saw him as soon as I moved here.
‘Sometimes he runs across the roof of the old Con club, which is located at the bottom of the path between Portofino and the main bus stop Ystrad Mynach.’
One social media user said: ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’
Another added: ‘Beautiful, I hope I catch a glimpse of it someday.’
“What a beautiful squirrel, I hope he stays safe,” said another concerned resident.
Rumours had been circulating for several weeks that the albino squirrel was roaming the streets of Ystrad Mynach, with neighbours sharing stories of sightings
The red-eyed squirrel is thought to be albino: a condition caused by a genetic mutation that causes the animal to lose all pigment.
According to wildlife experts, one in every 100,000 squirrels is albino, but it is estimated that only 50 live in the UK.
They are thought to be most common in public places such as parks, playgrounds and cemeteries, where there are few predators.
Although a rare sighting, an albino squirrel was spotted in Bookham, Surrey, earlier this year.
The red-eyed squirrel is thought to be albino – a condition caused by a genetic mutation that results in a complete lack of pigment
Ross Hill, 31, who spotted the squirrel, said it was “amazing” to see the rare white squirrel up close.
“A few weeks ago I had never heard of it and now I’ve seen it in real life. It’s amazing,” he added.
Some spotted white squirrels also have black eyes and are thought to have leucism rather than albinism.
Leucism also causes a complete lack of pigment, but not in the eyes.
According to experts, leucism is ‘extremely rare’ in red squirrels.
The last time a black-eyed white squirrel was seen was in Scotland in May 2020.