Name: Elizabeth Seaver
Status: other
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2/21/2004
Question:
No question, but a remark regarding the question about
the possibility of a white skunk. Found your site while looking for
information about just such a skunk because I saw one in my yard last
night. It is not an albino. It has white body fur, a black face & a
single black mark on its back. Tail all white. I was viewing it from
above (inside stairs), but it looked as if its feet were black.
Am curious if it's a variety or aberration. The response to the previous
writer leads me to believe it is not a variety, but I will continue my
search & also try to get a photo of "mine".
I live in Arkansas. Seems I saw another letter from someone who'd seen
one in the northeast somewhere.
My curiosity is piqued.
Replies:
Partial albinism is not uncommon. I have not heard of that in skunks but
would not be surprised if this were the case. I don't know how the genetics
work, but I have seen a partial albino robin that was white except for some
faint breast color, a partail albino garter snake that had all the markings
of a normal garter snake except all the colors were very pale.
J. Elliott
I have seen articles on various animals that were not totally albino. One reference
to an alligator that was all white, but the eyes were a normal color. I have seen partial
albino crows, common grackles and House sparrows where certain areas of their body
feathers were white.
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