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Your sibling comment has a link with several theories: The color might be a fluke from a small founding population of squirrels that was just genetically more f
by akiselev 4y ago
Your sibling comment has a link with several theories: The color might be a fluke from a small founding population of squirrels that was just genetically more fit in unrelated ways. Or the biggest threat to squirrels might not be predators but automobiles and the white color increases their visibility especially contrasted against asphalt.
The most interesting theory is that predators like hawks simply don't recognize white animals as prey, which is pretty crazy in my opinion. The page shares an anecdote that sometimes visiting dogs would chase gray squirrels but not the white ones.