PHOTOS: Rare, Albino Animals You’ve Probably Never Seen Before
CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- If you have ever seen an albino animal before, consider yourself lucky.
Albinism is defined as a genetic condition where one is born without the usual pigment, or color, in their bodies. The body is not able to make a normal amount of melanin, the chemical responsible for eye, skin, and hair color. Therefore, albinos are extremely pale - or in the case of animals, their fur, hair, or skin is white.
The condition is most seen in amphibians and birds, but rarely in mammals. Albino animals are faced with many difficulties when born in the wild. They are seen as an oddity within their own species and are more vulnerable to predators. They also typically have vision and other health problems. Unfortunately with this life, albino animals tend to not live very long.
Luckily for those born as zoos, they are protected and live a fairly comfortable life - other than people taking pictures of them all day.
The first documented, rare albino gorilla resided at the Barcelona Zoo. He was found in 1966 in Spanish Guinea and offered to the Ikunde Centre at the time. After being photographed for the National Geographic with a headline of: "Snowflake, the world's first white gorilla" the name stuck. Snowflake lived at the zoo for 36 years. According to the zoo, he had 21 offspring with 3 different females. In 1999, Snowflake's first two granddaughters were born. In 2003, Snowflake died of a serious skin condition.
A famous creature among the albinos is Migaloo, the albino humpback. He is well-known in Australia where he regularly travels along the country's east coast during migration season. Migaloo was first spotted in 1991 and has been seen almost every year since his discovery. He is the world's only known albino humpback and is so famous, he even has his own website and Twitter account.
Brookfield Zoo announced they will have an albino resident for the summer. They say you should fly south for the winter, but this animal is heading north for the summer. Snowflake, a 16-year-old, 7-feet long albino American alligator is making a home at Brookfield Zoo's Swamp habitat. Guests visiting the zoo through September will have the opportunity to witness an extremely rare reptile, before it heads back to Florida’s St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.
According to the zoo, biologists estimate there are only about 100 albino alligators existing in the world.
And although most albino animals struggle in life, they are not always in danger in the wild. According to National Geographic, there is a thriving population of nearly a hundred albino squirrels in Olney, Illinois. The publication said the town is so proud of them that it encourages residents to feed them and has passed laws to protect them from being hit by vehicles.
Check out some of these rare animals above.
