'Rare Critter' Spotted Climbing Trees At Colorado State Park, Video Shows

A “rare critter” was spotted climbing trees at a Colorado state park, and a park ranger captured it on video. White squirrels in North America are almost always a variation of an eastern gray squirrel, according to the White Squirrel Institute. Leucistic squirrels typically have a fully white coat and dark eyes.

The largest population of white squirrels is in Brevard, North Carolina, after a couple received them as gifts in 1949, according to The Associated Press. The squirrels escaped and started breeding, leading to 1 in 3 squirrels in the city being white, the news outlet reported. In Colorado, however, a white squirrel isn't something people see regularly, wildlife officials said. "Leucism is a recessive genetic trait and a rare sight to see," officials said.