The first known albino penguin, Snowdrop, was born in 2002 at England’s Bristol Zoo. It went on to become a celebrity, as people hadn’t seen an all-white penguin before. In 2019, another rare albino penguin (an African black-foot) made its first public appearance at a zoo in the Polish Baltic port city of Gdansk. The keepers claimed that it was the only one of its kind in captivity.
2. Snake
Partial albinos retain some of the coloration typical of their species. Snakes are a prime example of this. These reptiles tend to be affected with partial albinism rather than full albinism. However, snakes with total albinism can also be found.
3. Reindeer
According to some Scandinavian myths, spotting a white reindeer is considered a sign of good luck. These rarely seen regal snow-white creatures look as if they have leaped straight out of the pages of a fairytale.
4. Alligator
Albino alligators are incredibly rare. The ones that are out there in the wild do have quite a tough time. Alligators survive by catching their prey by stealth. Their light olive-green skin color along with the numerous dark crossbars and black spots helps them in concealing themselves properly. However, albino alligators struggle to survive because their would-be prey can easily see them coming. Direct exposure to sunlight is also harmful to them.
5. Turtle
Albino turtles tend to still have one pigment present in their bodies. This means that they can appear to be yellow (particularly their shells) or reddish in color instead of being just plain white. Furthermore, their eyes are mostly pink. This gives them an appearance of little fiery dragons from a fantasy film.
An albino turtle birth occurs at the rate of one in many hundreds of thousands of eggs that are laid.
6. A herd of albino deer
Because of their white color, herbivorous albino mammals, like the albino deer, are generally in more danger out in the wild. Their white color makes them stand out in the green grass and makes it easier for predators to locate and catch them. The chances of an albino deer being born are only 1 in 20,000.
7. Albino kangaroo captured with other kangaroos
Animals with albinism also have to deal with various social issues. Albino animals who live in groups, like the kangaroos, are often cast out by their peers since they are considered too different. Moreover, albino kangaroos have a genetic predisposition for vision and hearing problems, which makes them extra vulnerable to predators.
8. Squirrel
Apart from being extremely adorable, albino squirrels aren't as negatively physically impacted by albinism as some of the other animals. Their retinas are different from all other mammals, and hence, albinism affects their eyesight less than normal.
9. Zebra
Albino zebras are sometimes called golden zebras because they can range in color from a tan shade to almost completely white. However, they always keep a faint stripe pattern. Since they live on dry, dusty plains, their unique color patterns give albino zebras an opportunity to merge in more easily with the environment.
10. Albino rhinoceros
The white albino rhino has two subspecies: the near-extinct northern white rhinos and the southern white rhinos. Incidentally, there are more than 20,000 southern white rhinos living in the wild. White albino rhinos have a life span of 40 to 50 years, which is slightly longer compared to the black rhinoceros who have an average lifespan of 35-50 years.
11. Lion
The absence of melanin in the eyes of albino animals sometimes results in abnormal development. This is often the case with members of the big cat family who have albinism. The albino lions and tigers have often been seen struggling with depth perception.
12. An albino crow with a black crow
Albino crows are so rare that some cultures regard them as ill omens and consider them as malicious creatures to stay away from. Do remember, however, that an albino crow will have white feathers, with pink feet, legs, and bill, along with red or pink eyes. When only its feathers are white, the bird suffers from a different genetic defect called leucism.
13. Hedgehog
Only one in close to 100,000 hedgehogs is born with albinism. These little creatures look even more endearing when they are completely white in color. In 2012, a couple of albino hedgehogs were photographed in a pet shop in Johannesburg and became the darlings of the Internet.
14. Bat
Bats are creatures of the night and are renowned for their black, scaly wings. Now, imagine seeing a pure white bat flying above the trees at night. Wouldn't that be a weird sight? While quite scarcely found, there have been a few sightings of albino bats in different parts of the world in recent years. The last one to be spotted was in Danjugan Island in Cauayan town, Negros Occidental, Philippines.
15. Albino peacock
The albino peacock is the rare creature on this list that will perhaps look better in its natural colors of green and blue. Regardless, the albino peacock is a stunning and magnificent-looking bird. Interestingly, pure white peacocks are not necessarily albinos. If a white peacock has blue eyes, it is probably leucistic. Albino peacocks are incredibly rare and few in number. In 2018, an albino peacock was seen in a tiny West Sussex village.
