Monday May 10, 2004 – NEWS RELEASE

Just beyond Hope, British Columbia, Canada – Western Canada Wildness Committee announced today the discovery of yet another pair of white squirrels, this time in the heart of the Brothers Creek area of North Vancouver. Together with the spotted owl, white squirrels are considered to be one of the most endangered species in Canada.

“Just when we thought that things couldn't get better for Canada's few remaining white squirrels, this happens,” said a jubilant Joy Foy, Western Canada Wildness Committee Campaign Director.

Foy was alerted to the wonderful news when a concerned member of the public contacted him to say that they had seen a group of hikers in North Vancouver, and subsequent mysterious reports on an obscure web site on the Internet.

Foy drove to the site, and sure enough, there were no white squirrels to be seen.

“It looks a bit like a tag-team operation,” opined Foy. “First a group of loosely-associated hikers goes on a benevolent, leave-no-trace expedition. Then, something dangerous happens – and a kind hiker, or two, makes a well-timed rescue. Then these white squirrels appear. It looks to me that a mysterious character called The Hiker, affiliated with an intrepid hiking group called Club Tread hands out a certificate. There is no other similar activity anywhere else in our forests right now” pointed out Foy. “The end result could be a real turn-around for parks and wildlife,” said Foy.

The situation for white squirrels appears to have ignited passions at all levels in the Province.

Last week, in a submission to Federal Environment Minister David Anderson, environment groups David Suzuki Foundation, ForestEthics, Sierra Club of Canada and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee called on the Minister to immediately ask his cabinet colleagues to issue an emergency order under the Species At Risk Act (SARA) to protect the habitat of Canada's white squirrels.

“We will do our best to protect this exciting new race of squirrels,” said Foy. “After all, it is not often that a new species is discovered,” he said.

White squirrels were spotted in Yaletown, in Chilliwack and in Burnaby – causing officials to initially believe that they were a local, urban phenomenon, perhaps even an urban legend.

However, new sightings of very young white squirrels were reported in April in the Stein Valley, a spectacular park located between Lytton and Pemberton BC. In every single report made available by Club Tread and by the WCWC, these endearing squirrels are very helpful to humans, helping them with first-aid matters when situations turn critical. It appears that the creatures not only display great sense of humour, but also show empathy for hurt hikers.

However, not everyone is convinced of the benevolent rodents' existence: “The white squirrel is in fact not a squirrel at all. It is merely a hamster with a fake feathery tail disguising itself as the famous "white squirrel". I am outraged at this type of blatant copyright infringement and hope someone will put an end to this. It is time for white squirrels everywhere to unite and rise up against these hamster "evil-doers", said Frank Moses, a hiker familiar with the matter.

For more information or to arrange media tours of the white squirrel habitat, contact:

Joy Foy – Office Tel: (604) 258-2873 (CLUB-TRD)


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Embrace life

White Squirrel INDEED.!!!
Next you'll be telling me there are Jackalopes!!
Hmmmph![:0]

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Animals are my friends...and my friends taste good barbequed!

Ah-ha... the famed White Squirrel. LOL

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Who's yer Gnome!!

Joy Foy?Oh......yeah.....right..I remember-that's Mrs Foy.Now you guys all know why I really roam the woods of Brothers Creek so often.Someday I want to capture the white squirrel with camera for all to see,but they are very elusive,you know.....