BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

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.

Jean Ferron and Pierre Laplante "Report of an Albino Red Squirrel from Sainte-Luce, Quebec, Canada," Northeastern Naturalist 20(4), (1 October 2013). https://doi.org/10.1656/045.020.0411
Published: 1 October 2013
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top