Are coloured winter salts turning squirrels purple?
Digital Reporter
Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 3:08 PM - A photo of a purple squirrel has gone viral on Reddit. It was uploaded to the content-sharing site by user chefsmoot, who suspects the squirrel changed colour after interacting with winter salts in the neighbourhood.
"The colored [sic] salt that is spread around my neighborhood is making all the squirrels turn purple," reads the photo's caption.
In some places, beet juice and other natural products are used as an environmentally-friendly alternative to winter salt, which is toxic to the environment in large amounts -- and that might explain the purplish hue this squirrel is sporting.
Beet juice can also be added to traditional winter salt to help increase the effectiveness of the product.
It's a necessary evil during the winter months. Salts are required to help melt snow and keep roads safe for commuters.
No other photos of purple squirrels have popped up on the internet, leading some to speculate that the rodent's purplish hue may be due to another cause.
Or, the image could be the result of digital retouching.
At any rate, we hope this little guy has a safe and happy winter.
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