We have all heard of a “white whale”. Believe it or not, Huntsville may have its own version of that.<\/p>\n
It’s much smaller, much faster, and much cuter.<\/p>\n
The story begins on a cloudy and rainy October morning at the Monte Sano viewpoint.<\/p>\n
“We don’t have the ideal day with the rain,” said Carolyn Cavender Alexander.<\/p>\n
She is on the hunt, looking for her next target.<\/p>\n
“Most of them have migrated south now,” he said.<\/p>\n
Alexander is not hunting like most Alabamans do. Instead, she is hunting with her camera.<\/p>\n
“There have been very few days where I haven’t gone out and used this camera,” Alexander said.<\/p>\n
There is something special you are looking for this Monday morning.<\/p>\n
“He’s a fast little boy,” he explained. “As soon as he sees you, he’s gone!”<\/p>\n
That “little friend” is a red-eyed, snow-colored squirrel, appropriately named Monte.<\/p>\n
“I think the general consensus, with the red eyes, is that he’s an albino,” Alexander said.<\/p>\n
WAAY 31 asked the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources if Monte really is an albino. And, just as Alexander thought, they said those red eyes gave him away.<\/p>\n
Alexander has seen his furry friend several times. On Monday we joined her to see if we could have the same luck.<\/p>\n
Lo and behold, as we prepared to get a video of her honing her photography skills, Monte decided to make an appearance.<\/p>\n
“Come on, boy,” Alexander said as he took photos. “Come on, sweet Monte.”<\/p>\n
There she was, munching on some nuts and storing some for the winter, posing for the cameras all the while.<\/p>\n
“Who would have thought I’d show up for you, Luke?” Alexander asked after Monte ran into the woods.<\/p>\n
Like all of our “Alabama Originals”, Monte is special. Only 1 in 100,000 squirrels is born albino. Experts said that those that are actually born white don’t last long, because their sheer color makes them easy targets for predators.<\/p>\n
But we’re happy to say that so far Monte is doing well.<\/p>\n
“He’s good at elusion,” Alexander said.<\/p>\n
This is also not Monte’s first time at WAAY 31.<\/p>\n
Alexander<\/span> He sent us some photos of him through the “Alabama the Beautiful” Facebook group. We use them in the air using #ATBWAAY31.<\/p>\n To see other “Alabama Originals”, click HERE. If you have an idea for an “Alabama Original”, email Luke at lhajdasz@waaytv.com.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We have all heard of a “white whale”. Believe it or not, Huntsville may have its own version of that. It’s much smaller, much faster, and much cuter. The story begins on a cloudy and rainy October morning at the Monte Sano viewpoint. “We don’t have the ideal day with the rain,” said Carolyn Cavender … <\/p>\n