White Squirrels of Olney

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

The episode explores the small Midwestern town of Olney, Illinois, which has built its local identity around a population of rare albino squ

Key takeaways

The white squirrel population has dropped from approximately 800 in 1941 to just 60 recorded last year.
Belinda Hinton, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, provides intensive care for newborns, including feeding them every two hours.

Main topics

Albino squirrel conservation
Olney, Illinois local culture

Notable quotes

If there aren't squirrels here, who are we?

Conclusion

The episode demonstrates how a shared commitment to protecting local w

Transcript preview

Speaker 4 (0:04) Olney, Illinois is your quintessential Midwestern small town. It's not far from the Indiana border and actually closer to St. Louis than Chicago. There's about 8,000 residents, Main Street, and life just moves a little slower. It's in the middle of farm country, a place you might drive right past. But people do stop. And they come for one thing. Squirrels. White squirrels, to be exact. In Olney, white squirrels are everywhere. They're the biggest celebrity in town. There's a giant white squirrel plushie that's a town mascot. There's a white squirrel pickleball club. And downtown you can buy everything from a white squirrel oven mitt to coffee cups to Christmas ornaments. White squirrels are serious business around here. Speaker 2 (0:46) You would be amazed. When we travel and people ask us where we're from, they go, oh yeah, the home of the white squirrels. Speaker 4 (0:56) Belinda Hinton was born and raised in Olney. And around town, she's known as the squirrel lady. When someone finds an injured squirrel, they call Belinda. Speaker 2 (1:04) My current favorite, he's been with me for eight years. His name's Rocky Dale. And he came with the name Rocky. And he came with a head injury. So he had a brain injury. And he circles to the left. So we say that he could drive for NASCAR, so that's why we called him Gail. One day my husband came and got me out of bed. He's like, Rocky is gone. He's out in the front yard. And it probably took him hours to get as far as he got because he circles. Speaker 4 (1:42) Rocky Dale is just one of the squirrels Belinda has cared for over the years. But in Olney, she's not the only one looking out for them. The whole town has, in a way, become caretakers for these white-tailed tree climbers. But lately, those caretakers have been sounding the alarm. Because those white squirrels that have defined Olney's identity are in danger of disappearing. Speaker 4 (2:04) I'm Alexa Lim, and this is Atlas Obscura, a celebration of the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Today, we explore this town built around white squirrels. And we meet the people fighting to keep these fluffy little celebrities safe. Speaker 4 (2:37) Olney is a town ruled by the white squirrel. But it's not the only white squirrel town out there. Brevard, North Carolina, has its own population of white-tailed friends. And it's home to something called the White Squirrel Institute. And there are sightings of white squirrels everywhere from Texas to Canada. But there is one thing that sets Olney's white squirrels apart. These are albino squirrels. Speaker 2 (2:59) Albinoism is a recessive gene. And... You basically have to have the stars aligned, you know, to get white squirrels. Speaker 4 (3:09) Most white squirrels in those other towns aren't albinos. They're white-furred versions of the eastern gray squirrel. Think of it like the silver-haired sister in a family of brunettes. Albino squirrels have a genetic mutation that causes a lack of melanin, and it's that pigment that gives color to skin and fur. True albinos are rare, and you can spot one by its distinctive pink eyes.