The legendary White Squirrel is actually a leucistic variant of the Eastern Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis. According to local lore, a pair of two white squirrels escaped from an overturned carnival truck hauling animals in 1949. Eventually, white squirrels began popping up all over the town of Brevard, North Carolina. As a result, the town of Brevard declared an ordinance protecting the squirrels in 1986. Today, an annual White Squirrel Festival is held around White Squirrel Day, which takes place on February 2. While white squirrel populations can be found in other cities, Brevard is the only city to hold such festivals and hold the squirrel to such high esteem. One especially famous white squirrel, Pisgah Pete, was known to be able to predict Super Bowl winners.
