According to a recent report, a rare black squirrel captured from the outskirts of Kerala’s capital city in 2008, is a variant of the Indian three-striped palm squirrel.
- It was named as Alison, after a U.K.-based scientist who helped identify the animal.
- The research team found that the squirrel’s black colour was caused by gene mutation. The study found that the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene in the animal acted as a switch to activate the change in pigmentation.
- Unlike the U.K., U.S., and Canada where the black squirrel has attained sizeable populations, there have been no reports of the mutant version being sighted anywhere in India. The study was published in the Current Science.
(Source: The Hindu)
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