Albino raccoon kits discovered in Scarborough.
Brad Gates, seen here, owner of Gates' Wildlife Control, and technician Scott Liddle discovered three albino raccoons whose mother had taken residence in a Scarborough home.
Courtesy photo
A wildlife control company made a rare find Thursday, May 19, 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 a the family in the Victoria Park and Finch Avenue area, who saw one of the albinos in their house.
"The house residents 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.
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.
The duo documented their discovery on a YouTube video: