Nature has endowed beings with a variety of colors. Sometimes it simply happens that a specimen appears into the world after “after they have forgotten the paints at home.” It is simply because the body has not what it takes to catch the color.

Genetic anomaly that prevents pigmentation is called albinism. Genetic mutation causes melanin (the fundamental contributing factor that determines how the skin, hair/feathers and eyes look like) to be missing completely or mostly ¹⁾”Albino Animals” by Kelly Milner Halls, book published by Millbrook Press in 2004. The result is often spectacular. Of course, rarity (sometimes extreme) can make an albino animal a star. But it is something beyond that: Colorless, that body can reveal an unexpected beauty.

A similar genetic abnormality is leucism, which consists of a reduction in all pigments, not just melanin ²⁾”Macropod Husbandry, Healthcare and Medicinals” by Lynda Staker, book published in 2014. Even though in such cases one can see a hint of color or a surface that is only very close to white, the result can be just as spectacular.

The difference between albinism and leucism is not always obvious. Sometimes there are signs such as redness around the eyes which can be observed in some animals with albinism. Sometimes even experts have difficulty telling what it is without examining closely. But it may not matter so much; at least for us, ordinary viewers.

Prepare for a journey like you have never seen. Here two “worlds” become parallel: animals with and without color!

Continue reading 50 Animals Who Have Not Found Their Color (with Surprise Bonus) →