Rare Albino Raccoon Dumpster Diving in Florida

In Weeki Wachee, Florida two coworkers encountered this rare albino raccoon in a dumpster.Show more

Other than color, albino raccoons are pretty much the same as the typical raccoon.

A genetic mutation causes albino raccoons to lose the traditional black and gray color including the bandit strip across the eyes. This color goes all the way down to their feet. Many people have never spotted one because they are pretty rare. In fact, a raccoon has a 1 in 10,000 chance of being born with albinism and your chance of seeing one is 1 in 750,000 – the same as your odds of being struck by lightning- and they are so rare that most people do not even know they exist. In fact, the first albino raccoon encounter is always a shocking experience for people, some of whom may even misidentify the animal as an opossum.

So if you spot a raccoon with all-white or off-white fur, treat it as you would when encountering any other raccoon. While uniqueness is prized among many human beings it is a problem for the albino raccoons because it helps to reduce their survival chances. Albino raccoons stand out due to the color of their fur. This makes their survival chances lower as predators can spot them easily.