ammonnews.net

Ammon News - Residents of Ystrad Mynach in Caerphilly, South Wales, were in for a shock after spotting a rare white squirrel roaming the streets.

The one-in-100,000 white squirrel was unfazed when it was spotted nibbling on crumbs on a busy town centre street.

The albino squirrel had been rumoured to be roaming the streets in Ystrad Mynach for several weeks with neighbours sharing stories of sightings.

But Maria Smith was able to snag a photograph of the elusive rodent when she spotted it outside the town library at the weekend.

Kevin Hart said he has spotted the animal 'once or twice a week'.

He said: 'I've lived here two years and saw him as soon as I moved in.

The red-eyed squirrel is thought to be albino - a condition caused a genetic mutation that leads to a complete lack of pigment.

Wildlife experts say that one in every 100,000 squirrels are albino, but only an estimated 50 are thought to be in the UK.

They are thought to be found living in public places like parks, playgrounds and cemeteries, where predators tend to be low.

Despite being a rare sighting, another albino squirrel was spotted in in Bookham, Surrey earlier this year.

Daily Mail