Squirrels are so common-place in North Carolina you probably don’t even notice them. When you see one it’s almost invariably the eastern gray squirrel – that long, gray rodent with the thick, bushy tail. Every once in awhile though, we’ll see a squirrel out there that will make us scratch our heads.

You probably have a memory or two of seeing a white squirrel at some point. If the white squirrel has no pigment on its fur at all and has pinkish eyes, it’s likely an albino. This is a genetic condition that makes them sensitive to light so they may not be out as much during the day for you to see them.

But, many are unaware that there are also a subgroup of eastern gray squirrels in North Carolina that have white fur. The story goes that a couple white squirrels escaped from a carnival in Florida. Then a mysterious man named Mr. Black captured them and gave them to North Carolina resident H.H. Mull. Mr Mull then passed these on to his niece who bred and released them. Whether or not that is the real story, the town of Brevard now has quite a few of these guys to contend with. The campus of Brevard College is overrun with them but the students don’t seem to mind.

White squirrels aren’t the only interesting rare squirrels we have in North Carolina though. There are also the large, black fox squirrels that hang around pine forests in a few areas of the state. They are around two feet long and two pounds making them clearly distinguishable from the smaller gray squirrels. The midwestern subspecies is also starting to move in and is similar but with red or blonde fur.

On the complete other end of the spectrum are the tiny, nocturnal northern flying squirrels in the mountains. Yes, we have flying squirrels in North Carolina. You may not have seen them because they are shy and hide out during the day, but they are here. Of course, they don’t really “fly” per se but use their skin flaps between their legs to glide from tree to tree. Like many nocturnal animals they have large eyes and long whiskers to help them make their way around in the dark.

For a one of a kind though, you should check out Earl the Naked Squirrel. It seems like a fun quirk to see the hairless rodent who lives out in Craven County until you think about trying to survive the winter naked. He made it through his first winter, so hopefully he’ll live a long and happy life. Experts believe it is just a genetic abnormality, like with the albino squirrels, that has deprived Earl of his winter coat. But odd as he may be, he fits in nicely in North Carolina’s diverse squirrel population.

Call Critter Control of the Triangle in Raleigh, NC and Durham at 919.382.0651 or visit our contact page for more information or help with animal removal, cleanup and more.