Ultra-Rare Creature Spotted in Hyde Park, New York

Only 20 of these creatures are said to exist in the United States and one of them is believed to live in the Hudson Valley.

Nature lovers are excited about the possibility of laying their eyes on an ultra-rare creature that's reportedly been seen in the Hyde Park area. Seeing unique animals is par for the course in the Hudson Valley. There have been sightings of all sorts of strange animals throughout the region this summer, including a terrifying "zombie deer."

This animal, however, is extremely rare and, in some cultures, is believed to be a harbinger of good luck.

Social media has been buzzing this month about an "albino squirrel" that has been seen in and around the Hyde Park area. Albino squirrels are extremely rare. Scientists estimate that only one in every 100,000 squirrels is born with the mutation that makes it an albino. Statistically, that means that less than two dozen of these rare animals exist in the United States.

While albino squirrels are super-rare, they can sometimes be confused with morph squirrels. Albino squirrels lack any pigment at all and can be identified by their light pink eyes. Morph squirrels still have pigment, but a rare gene makes their fur white. They still have dark eyes and sometimes stripes or spots of darker fur.

Photos of a bright white squirrel taken by Hyde Park resident, MauraLyn Moran-Recchia, aren't conclusive. Some images make it appear that the eyes are pink, while other angles make them look a little darker. But either way, this is one very rare squirrel and something truly special to witness n the wild.

Moran-Recchia says that this particular squirrel appeared at her home after her father passed away several years ago. The squirrel reportedly stayed around for six months and, when disappeared just after the Hyde Park woman's mother passed away. It's unclear if this is the same animal, but squirrels can live up to 10 years in the wild. Moran-Recchia says she's "glad to hear he’s still around".

Have you spotted the white squirrel in Hyde Park? If you happen to get a better photo, we'd love to see it. You can send it to us directly through our mobile app. Perhaps we'll be able to tell whether it's a true albino or not.