An incredibly rare squirrel has found itself in need of a little human aid. Luckily, there is a rescue in Indiana that was ready and willing to help. We bet you've never seen a squirrel like this before!
Last week I shared the story of Kieran the squirrel who was found in an Indiana backyard with an odd little face. It turns out Kieran has an abscess that has moved his jaw out of alignment. Lucky for him, the nice people who found him contacted the Pipsqueakery - an animal rescue and sanctuary that specializes in smaller animals.
Read More About Kieran The Squirrel
Well, it turns out that Kieran isn't the only Indiana squirrel in need of the Pipsqueakery's help. The organization took to Facebook to share video of their latest addition - his finders were calling him Al so Pipsqueakery named him Alistair.
Alistair had been living a good life for the last three years in someone's backyard until an altercation with a dog. With a little help from some humans, Alistair escaped the dog and disappeared for a few days. When he resurfaced, his finders noticed he was "wobbling around and spinning in circles," so they called the Pipsqueakery for help.
Now, here's the thing about Alistair - this little guy is a genetic anomaly. The Pipsqueakery believes he is a fox squirrel, the largest species of tree squirrel native to Indiana, according to Indiana DNR. Ordinarily, fox squirrels have coat that is grizzled with black, brown, and orange.
While Alistair's fur is grizzled with black, brown, and orange, he also has an excessive amount of white in his fur. In their post to Facebook, the Pipsqueakery says that Al is not an albino.
Most likely, Alistair's coloration is what is known as "piebald." This means that there is no pigment is portions of his skin, causing the hair that grows there to also lack pigment. In a post to social media earlier this year, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources shared a photo of another piebald squirrel and explained how this rare anomaly can sometimes happen.
The Department of Natural Resources also points out that colorations like Alistair's can make it much more difficult for wildlife to survive because it can be harder for them to hide from predators.
READ MORE: Is It Legal to Keep a Squirrel as a Pet in Indiana?
Fortunately, at least for the time being, Alistair doesn't have to worry about predators. He is currently undergoing care at the Pipsqueakery where he is receiving excellent care and medication to help him along his road to recovery.
If you would like to donate to Alistair's care, the Pipsqueakery has a number of methods to receive your donations. You can donate directly through their website or using one of the methods below.
The Pipsqueakery is a 501 c3 non-profit located in Bloomington, Indiana that provides care for native wildlife, rodents, rabbits, farm animals, and other small animals including exotic pets. They have a special interest in helping animals that have special medical and behavioral needs. They also work to educate the public on the care of these animals and work to these animals get adopted into their forever homes and rescue placements for those animals healthy enough for adoption. Learn more at ThePipsqueakery.org.