Rare ‘blonde’ penguin spotted in Antarctica Posted by Anita Froneman on 8 May 2020 It’s not unusual to see albinism in animals. This extremely rare light coloured penguin, however, is not albino, but actually has a condition called isabellinism. This is a mutation which prevents melanin from being produced in feathers, according to National Geographic. Read: Albinism in animals Tourists on National Geographic’s ‘Journey to Antarctica’ saw one such ‘blonde’ penguin in a colony of chinstrap penguins at the edge of the South Shetland Islands. According to a study done on isabellinism published in the journal Marine Ornithology, this condition leads to a ‘uniform lightening’ of the bird’s dark colors, that turns into grayish-yellow or pale brown. While albinism occurs when an animal fails to produce any melanin at all throughout its entire body, isabellinism only prevents melanin from being produced in feathers. ‘Many species of penguins have a few rare individuals with this color pattern,’ penguin expert P. Dee Boersma of the University of Washington in Seattle said according to apsari.com. ‘Scientists have observed several species of penguins and the effect of isabellinism on penguins, and have found that gentoo penguins found throughout the Antarctic Peninsula often record the most cases.’ Take a look at this beautiful little creature: View this post on Instagram Blonde Penguin At first glance, you might think this unique #penguin is an #albino but he actually has a condition known as leucism. The condition is caused by a mutation that prevents melanin from being produced in feathers. Though his odd colors don’t make him an outcast in penguin society, his white feathers may pose a safety threat. Most #penguin’s black and white coloring helps them blend in with their #snowy surroundings which in turn helps them hide from danger and fish more easily. This little guy might need to do a little extra stealth training to compensate for his unique coat. #blondepenguin A post shared by (@genx97) on Jul 14, 2017 at 11:13am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emily ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@em__may) on Aug 19, 2017 at 5:29am PDT Image: Instagram Related Posts Cape Town’s sustainability: Leading the way in environmental initiatives 1 June 2023 As National Environmental Month commences in South Africa, Cape Town stands proudly at the forefront... read more Kapama to host Safari Guide of the Year Awards 2023 1 June 2023 Kapama Private Game Reserve near Hoedspruit will host this year’s Safari Guide of the Year... read more Blood Lions relaunches for public viewing on YouTube 1 June 2023 Award-winning documentary feature film Blood Lions has been relaunched on YouTube for public viewing, creating... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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