Albinism is the lack of pigmentation due to the inability to produce melanin. If an animal looks albino but has partial pigmentation, it may be leucistic. Leucism is a genetic condition in which there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal resulting in white, pale, or patchy coloration. Colorless creatures are extremely rare in the wild and usually don’t survive long. Though uncommon, some albinos can survive to adulthood in captivity. Here are some of the most extraordinary albinos captured on camera…This albino gorilla, named Snowflake, was a Western lowland gorilla who lived at the Barcelona Zoo from 1966 until his death in 2003.This handsome bird was named “Snowdrop,” a penguin born at the Bristol Zoo in England. Not only did he have white feathers, he had a pale beak, pink feet and a pink face; this made him a true albino. He was truly one in a million. The curator at Bristol Zoo said, “So far [my colleagues] have tracked down only two recorded sightings of albino penguins in the wild.” Unfortunately, Snowdrop only survived a couple of years.An albino alligator is a truly rare sight. This one is a resident of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California.Without the iridescent blue and green feathers, do you think this ghostly gentleman peacock attracts many lady peahens? This unusual lack of color is due to selective breeding and is common in captive peafowl. These birds are not true albinos, they are leucistic; instead of having red eyes, these guys retain their normal eye color.Meet Zoe, one of the rarest zebras in existence. She was born in captivity on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, and was eventually moved to an animal sanctuary on the Big Island of Hawaii. Zoe is not an albino, though many think of her as such. She has a condition called “amelanosis,” or pigment abnormality. Her eyes are a brilliant blue and her stripes are a beautiful golden color. Because of this, many refer to her as a “golden zebra.” Her only known health problem so far is poor night vision.Albino pythons are not found in the wild; this strain is a result of selective breeding in captivity.A white crow? Yes, they do exist! Albinism is extremely rare in adult wild birds. The reason for this is that affected birds generally have very poor eyesight making hunting very difficult. These animals are also much more visible to predators. This individual is quite fortunate, indeed!Albinism can be found in amphibians, too! Normal leopard frogs are green or brown with spots. We can tell this animal is a true albino because of its red eyes and the pink areas around its mouth. Unfortunately, like all other albino animals, albino frogs have little chance of reaching adulthood in the wild due to lack of camouflage. They may live longer in captivity, as long as the owner knows how to properly care for the animal’s conditionThis beautiful Bennett’s wallaby is one of many that thrive on Bruny Island on Tasmania. Despite their albinism, this population of 200 wallabies is doing well because of a lack of predators in the region. Experts say that the albino and normally-pigmented individuals mate indiscriminately. Most of the albinos are surviving to breeding age and living relatively normal lives.Albino Giant Gourami In the wild, albino fish are rarely seen. That’s because they stand out to predators and are quickly consumed. Albino fish raised in aquariums, however, generally survive to adulthood. Albino gouramis are mostly white with tinges of silver and grey striping. As they mature, they develop a thickened lip and gray head. Quite the appearance!
