10-22-2023 9:30pm

White Squirrel Sightings in Hamilton Township

Beth Callahan Editor

Contributed photo

MAINEVILLE, OH -- Many of the residents who live in Warren County live in areas where they are surrounded by nature… woods, wetlands, streams, creeks and even a river or two. Often when living in these areas, a person will find their yards are also homes to other little creatures that don't only capture their attention... but our hearts.

Don and Cindy Ludlow of Harrison Township are one of these residents who recently discovered that their yard is a hangout spot for a couple of white squirrels.

"We saw the first one back in March. It was with a group of three grey squirrels," Don said, adding, "by the end of August or beginning of September we saw the second one... now they have been running around and hanging out with each other."

It's now become a habit for the Ludlows to sit out on their porch in the morning waiting to watch their new fluffy tailed, four-legged friends run up and down the oak tree that Don planted over 30 years ago.

"They like to get the acorns," he said, adding that he and Cindy were both a little worried they had disturbed their squirrel friends earlier in the week after they had cut down 20 dead locust trees, and they didn't see them for a while.

"They're back now. I saw the one this morning on the neighbors roof before jumping to the tree," Don said, adding as. he pointed to his back fence,"Once I put the squirrel feeder back up, they will be running up and down the fence."

Don said this was this first time he had ever seen a white squirrel..."and to have two!"

Don added that he and his wife have given them names."The first one we named Whitey... and when we saw the second, we named it Whitest."

So just how rare are white squirrels? When researching, it looks as though there are three types of white squirrels according to animals.com. They are:

Albino gray squirrels, which are the rarest form of white squirrel. Their eyes will be pink or blue. Mammalogists estimate the odds of a female gray squirrel giving birth to an albino offspring are 1 in 100,000 according to Georgiawildlife.com
Leucistic grey squirrels are given this name because the leucistic squirrel have greatly reduced pigmentation in their fur due to leucism according to Florida State University Marinelab.fsu.edu. It can be identified by its dark eyes.
The Brevard’s White Squirrels are from North Carolina. According to A-z-animals.com the coat is mostly white, but there is a distinctive head patch and dorsal stripe that broadens in the shoulder region.

Along with their rarity, white squirrels have some folk lore or mythology that goes along with sighting one. According to symbolismandmetaphor.com seeing a white squirrel can mean:

Change is coming - This was considered to be a welcomed and good omen, indicating that troubling times are almost at their end, and the best is still to come.
Good Luck - The chances of coming across a white squirrel out and about are incredibly slim. This is a very positive omen and one that you should accept with open arms.
Perseverance - A squirrel is a persistent animal, it does not stop planning and preparing until it has stockpiled a mass of resources. Similarly, you are a planner and persevere through whatever is thrown your way.

Enjoy the 2 minute video below that the Ludlows took of Whitey and Whitest enjoying the locust trees.