A wildlife control company made a rare find on Thursday after they were called to a Scarborough home to remove a litter of raccoons - three of them albinos. Brad Gates, owner of Gates' Wildlife Control, said they had been called by Jay Zheng, who saw one of the albinos in his house.
"Mr Zheng and his family weren't sure what they had because of the white animal they saw in the garage," said Gates. His technician Scott Liddle believed they might be up against a skunk after hearing the family's description. Instead, they found three white raccoon kits and another with normal markings. The litter appeared to be six to eight weeks old and in good health, although the albinos were smaller than their 'normal' brother.
Gates said two albinos were found in the attic; their mother was found taking a "break" from the heat of the attic on the rooftop. Albino raccoons are uncommon - about one in 500,000, according to Gates' research. Three in one litter - that's extremely rare. "I think you take that (statistic) and it's exponential as to the odds of that happening," said Gates.
YouTube link.
His company has only encountered two cases of albino raccoons in its 27-year history, and each time it was only one in the litter. Gates said they rescued the animals by hand and put them in a release box, which was later placed on the roof to be reunited with their mother. "She'll take one by one to another safe den that she has set up in the neighbourhood," said Gates.
Homeowner, Mr Zheng, also made his own video of the albino triplets.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
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