Get this: one in every 20,000 people is born
with albinism. Ya know, that condition when the body doesn’t
produce enough melanin, giving the skin, hair, and eyes a pretty much complete lack of color. While it’s pretty rare in humans, it’s
even harder to find in the animal kingdom. But they do exist. So if you’ve never seen an albino dolphin,
squirrel, or crow – you’re in for a treat! Let’s start with a Horse of a different
color, well maybe just, you know, white. Albino horses are born completely white and
stay that way their whole life. The really cool thing about them is that they
don’t have reddish eyes, unlike most mammals such as mice and rabbits. Albino horses see the world through their
brown or light blue eyes and have unpigmented skin. This makes some experts believe they’re
actually just white, and not 100% albino. Deer
Being an albino can be both a curse and a blessing for a deer. You see, when you lose your camouflage, it’s
much harder to hide from predators in the woods when you can be seen from miles away. On the other hand, their beauty and grace
stop most hunters from killing them since many people actually consider white deer off-limits. There’s even a legend that killing an albino
deer will bring you bad luck. I’m guessing the legend was probably started
by the albino deer themselves! Turtle
Now, sea turtles have long been on the endangered species list, and albino sea turtles are so
rare that anytime their pictures appear online, they go viral. In 2016, a group of volunteers spotted a turtle
nest on Castaways Beach in Queensland, Australia. There were 122 baby turtles on it, and they
left the nest, leaving one albino baby behind. The volunteers called that turtle Alby, and
it quickly became an Internet star. Alligator
Regular alligators are common in the swamps of the southeastern states. And no one really dreams of meeting one face-to-face,
right? I’m guessing they both bite about the same! But albino alligators are incredibly rare
as there’s only around 20 of them in the world. Similar to deer, their yellowish white skin
makes them an easy target for predators, so they don’t live too long. Their skin is also highly sensitive to sunlight. The most famous albino alligator was called
White Diamond, and it lived in Germany’s Serengeti Park. He was transported there from Louisiana to
become part of a traveling reptile show. Owl
This majestic creature looking straight out of the Harry Potter movies was found in 2016. Because their skin and feathers lack color,
the eyes of an albino owl look bright red, and you can literally see through the iris
to the blood vessels inside. Whooo would’ve known?! Squirrel
Only one squirrel in 100,000 is born white, so spotting one is a rare stroke of luck. They’re an easy catch for hawks given that
they’re highlighted white against the grass and leaves. So many of the survivors actually enjoy living
in towns among grey squirrels and humans. Ladybug
If you ever find an albino ladybug, it’s likely a 15-Spotted Lady Beetle or Ashy Grey
Lady Beetle. Yes, they have names. They can also get darker with time. Even regular ladybugs are believed to bring
good luck, and the effect is supposedly even stronger with unique albino ones. Giraffe
In 2017, the world went all mushy and gooey as pictures of two albino giraffes from Kenya
went viral. It was a mom and her baby with spots barely
visible on their skin. Anytime someone snaps a picture of an albino
giraffe, it instantly becomes a sensation because they’re so rare and unique! Cockroach
Not exactly all people are fans of cockroaches (actually nobody is), and most folks will
try anything to get them out of their house. Maybe you’d be kinder to an albino cockroach. They become this way when they reach molt
and lose pigmentation due to a chemical reaction. Nah, I think I’d spray those too. Gourami
Not only animals, birds, and insects can be albino – fish can too! Meet the Albino Gourami. They also lack melanin pigments and look white
as snow as a result (which is tough since snow tends to melt in an aquarium!). If you ever decide to get one as a pet, note
that bright aquarium lighting will make their vision way worse, so be careful with it. Sea urchin
Another creature of the sea that goes under different names such as Hairy Sea Urchin,
Short Spine Sea Urchin, Sea Egg, and West Indian Sea Egg. (None are named Oliver Twist, which is a kind
of street urchin.) This albino creature has found an interesting
way to protect itself from predators and the sun. It hides in seaweed, shells, and pebbles. Sounds smart to me. Crow
Albino crows and ravens are among the rarest birds on the planet and are even considered
more mythological than real. Just like regular ravens, they’re naturally
curious about what’s going on around them, and that lack of color makes them vulnerable
to sunlight. Another problem they face is finding a partner
to mate with. So, some lucky birds just end up living with
humans that provide plenty of love and care! Hedgehog
Only one in 100,000 hedgehogs is colorless since they’re born with a recessive gene. The cool thing about them is that they’re
so white, they even glow in the dark! If you ever find one, the best thing you can
do is take it home or to a pet shelter because they don’t fair too well in the wild. Moose
The latest spotting of a white moose that became an online star was in the Värmland
region of Sweden. It turns out, there are people who spent years
photo-hunting these creatures, and for one of them, their dream came true after 3 years
of unsuccessful attempts. Regular hunters don’t go after white moose
because they’re so well-protected. Peacock
Male peacocks use their multi-colored plumage to attract the ladies. Albino peacocks don’t have that variety
of color, but easily look even more majestic. Kind of like Elsa the Ice Princess. By the way, some peacocks are half-albino
and half-regular. In many cultures, the white peacock stands
for death, resurrection, eternal life, and glory. Seems like an oxymoron to me… Tiger
Albino tigers shouldn’t be confused with regular white tigers that are common in India. Those have white fur and brighter black stripes,
but albino tigers look lighter with pinkish eyes. Albino tiger parents pass the albino gene
to their offspring, so you can even see whole families of them! Finch
We’re used to seeing them in bright colors, but albino finch also occur in the wild, so
don’t be surprised if you spot one! I wonder if Charles Darwin caught a glimpse
of one during his escapes in the Galapagos… Dolphin
In 2018, the world went crazy at the sight of a rare white albino dolphin when it was
spotted twice within a week in California’s Monterey Bay. It was a young Risso’s Dolphin swimming
along with hundreds of its non-albino friends. Dubbed Casper when it was first spotted in
2014, it’s most likely the only albino dolphin ever to be documented. Risso’s dolphins are pretty unique as they
have bulbous heads, large dorsal fins, and gray, scar-covered bodies. Kangaroo
There are more kangaroos than people in Australia, so it’s hard to surprise a tourist with
one, but albino kangaroos aren’t nearly as widespread. Most of them live in captivity, but there’ve
been reports of one wild albino kangaroo hopping around in the suburbs of Canberra. Wildlife experts say such kangaroos are prone
to hearing and vision issues, so surviving in the wild isn’t easy for them. Zebra
Black and white stripes is what you imagine when you think of a zebra. Scientists still aren’t sure exactly why
nature has given them this pattern, but one thing is certain: some zebras are different
from others. They have leucism, which makes them totally
blond. Gorilla
An albino gorilla called Snowflake became the most photographed animal in the world. It attracted millions of visitors to the Barcelona
Zoo and lived for 39 years. He was born in 1966 in Equatorial Guinea and
was the only white gorilla in the world. New research has shown its white coloring
was caused by inbreeding. Orangutan
The only albino orangutan in the world is called Alba. It was rescued in 2017 from the jungles of
Indonesia, spent 20 months in rehabilitation at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation,
and was released back into the wild. The foundation staff and medical team realized
Alba can survive quite well among regular orangutans despite their previous concerns
that it could be a problem. Doberman
Albino Dobermans have exclusively white coats, blue eyes, and pink noses. Lack of melanin makes them more vulnerable
to the sun, and their skin and eyes are super sensitive. So if you happen to have an albino Doberman,
definitely get a dog-approved sunscreen or a light coat for your pup! Have you ever seen an albino animal? Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to give this video a “like,”
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