Albino squirrel spotted in city park

An albino squirrel named Frosti has become a celebrity after being spotted in an inner city park.

The rare animal was seen by photographer Mark Wessels, 35, from Cape Town, South Africa., as he strolled through the city’s Company’s Garden with his family.

The squirrel is comfortable with humans, quite happily scuttling around the feet of passers by to collect food.

“We often go down to the park but we had never met Frosti before despite him being quite famous.

“I had never seen an albino squirrel before so I was pretty pleased when we came across him snuffling around in dead leaves.

“We watched him for a while and then he emerged with a huge nut. He jumped up into the branches and sat there enjoying it and gave me a chance to get some photos.”

Despite his colour Frosti is actually an Eastern Grey Squirrel, known in South African as Tree Squirrels.

The species was introduced to the Cape peninsula from Europe by prominent English businessman Cecil John Rhodes in the early 19th century.

Albinism is caused by a group of inherited genes. Rare squirrels can also be found in pure black which is caused by Melanism – the opposite of Albinism.

The condition is thought to affect just one in 100,000 animals.