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Rare Albino Squirrel Spotted by Photographer in Ramsgate Park
This is Kent ^ | Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Posted on 04/24/2012 9:23:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway

AUTHOR Eric C Bartholomew has photographed lots of animals – elephants, tigers, wild boar – but none were as tricky to capture as Thanet's albino squirrel.

The 67-year-old scribbler, of St Lawrence Chase, Ramsgate, spotted the white wonder in a park close to Ramsgate's Royal Esplanade on Monday, April 16.

Wildlife experts estimate that the odds of a pure white squirrel being born are one in 100,000.

Mr Bartholomew, a safari lover, chased the rare rodent around the park for 20 minutes before he got his shot at about 7am.

He said: "I was in the right place at the right time. It's not often you see them. You have to take your time. I had to hide behind a tree."

Mr Bartholomew's wife Mary added: "If someone had come around the corner they would seen him standing there and thought he was a stalker."

The couple, who have visited animal sanctuaries all over the world, often walk in the park behind St Lawrence Avenue.

Albino squirrels are distinguished from normal white squirrels by their pink eyes.

While white squirrels are rare, reports suggest they live together in colonies and from a colony can spring an albino squirrel. Thanet wildlife expert Dr Alasdair Bruce said a small group of them have been reported in Thanet Crematorium, in Margate.

He said: "Two or three have been seen hopping around.

"There seems to be a little pool of these white squirrels that pop out of the gene pool."

Dr Bruce said white squirrels do not survive long, as their colour make them an easy target for predators.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Pets/Animals; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: albino; boris; bullwinkle; kimba; natasha; photography; rocky; squirrel
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To: bert
"Last winter I had a white Grackle on my snow covered driveway."

I'd like to see a picture of that. Would be very interesting!

21 posted on 04/25/2012 5:02:20 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: nickcarraway

Sightings of the Great White Squirrel...I think thats part of that Mayan End-of-time thing.....;)


22 posted on 04/25/2012 6:22:35 AM PDT by Tainan (Cogito, ergo conservatus sum)
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To: who knows what evil?

That’s the place, in a college there. We were staying in Pickens SC and my uncle took us there.


23 posted on 04/25/2012 8:04:51 AM PDT by irishtenor (Everything in moderation, however, too much whiskey is just enough... Mark Twain)
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To: bert

White Grackles, and now White Squirrels? This can mean only one thing! The animals are preparing for the coming ICE AGE!

Algore was wrong! It is not “Global WARMING” that we should fear, but Global COOLING!

BTW, maybe London will sponsor the New Ice Festival on the frozen River Thames, just like the way it was in Shakespeare’s day.


24 posted on 04/25/2012 8:18:08 AM PDT by Graewoulf ((Dictator Baby-Doc Barack's obama"care" violates Sherman Anti-Trust Law, AND U.S. Constitution.))
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To: Attention Surplus Disorder
There's even one on the St. Louis Cardinals World Series ring. Rally Squirrel is crossing home plate.


25 posted on 04/25/2012 8:45:02 AM PDT by NCC-1701 (In Memphis on January 20, 2009, pump price were $1.49. We all know what happened after that.)
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