Take a look at these gorgeous white animals from around the world!
Did you know that many white animals are considered sacred? Or that many of them are endangered? There are even some albino animals where only one has been discovered in the entire world, such as a lone male white giraffe and Migaloo, the first discovered white Humpback Whale.
Why Are Some Animals White?
An albino animal may be born without the standard color of its species, which is usually due to a standard, but uncommon genetic mutation resulting in the characteristic white coloration. These animals may be true albinos, with pure white fur and reddish-pink eyes without pigments, or leucistic, with white or light-colored fur but some pigmentation such as blue eyes.
1. Albino Alligators
Albino alligators do not have the ability to contain melanin in their blood. This genetic mutation causes their skin to be yellowish-white and their eyes to be pinkish. Most albino Alligators do not reach maturity because they lack the ability to disguise themselves, making them an easy target in the wild.
2. Albino Squirrels
Albino squirrels have all white fur and red or pink eyes. Albinism is a recessive genetic disorder caused by a recessive gene. The white coat color of eastern grey squirrels is a product of their genes. While possessing this white coat gene, it only happens on rare occasions because being so brightly colored makes a squirrel less likely to blend in among the trees. White squirrels might do better in Alaska, but Alaska is home to only one species of squirrel, making them somewhat of a rare sight.
3. Panda Bears
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPIskGqhGBu/
With its iconic black and white coat, the panda is adored around the world and is regarded as a national treasure in China. Pandas spend much of their time in temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China. A newborn panda is about the size of a stick of butter, but female pandas can weigh up to 200 pounds.
4. White Deer
An albino deer has no pigment and is entirely white, with pink skin, nose, and hooves. A piebald deer is a genetic mutation that is slightly more common. Piebald whitetails account for less than 2% of all whitetails and are extremely rare. True albinos seem to be more common in some northern regions.
5. White Elephant
The white elephant is a subspecies of elephants, not a separate species. In Hindu puranas, the god Indra is depicted by a white elephant. Their skin is usually reddish-brown, but when wet, it becomes light pink. They have light-colored eyelashes and toes.
6. White Tiger
Pheomelanin, which is present in Bengal tigers with orange fur, is absent in white Bengal tigers. To have a white Bengal tiger, both parents must have the rare gene for white coloring, which occurs naturally only about once in 10,000 births. Several hundred white tigers are kept in captivity around the world, with about a hundred in India. Their distinctive white fur has made them famous in shows featuring exotic animals and at zoos.
7. Polar Bear
Polar bears, the world's biggest bear and the Arctic's top predator are a strong symbol of the Arctic's strength and stamina. They have a thick layer of body fat and a water-repellent coat that keeps them warm in cold weather. Polar bears depend heavily on sea ice for transportation, hunting, rest, breeding, and, in some areas, maternal dens. Polar bears were classified as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008.
8. White Lions
The white lion is a highly unusual color mutation of the lion, specifically the Southern African lion. It is believed to have been indigenous to South Africa's Timbavati area for centuries. Their white color is caused by leucism, a recessive condition resulting from a less severe mutation of the same gene that causes albinism. They range in color from blonde to near-white and their coloration does not seem to be a hindrance to their survival.
9. Kermode Bear
Kermode bears are a subspecies of American black bears. They can be found in British Columbia, Canada, and in the Central and North Coast areas. The white variant, known as the spirit bear, is the most common on on the three British Columbian islands. Spirit bears play an essential role in the oral traditions of the region's indigenous peoples.
10. White Buffalo
Several Native American religions regard the white buffalo as sacred or spiritually important. White buffalo are highly uncommon. According to the National Bison Association, they occur in approximately one out of every ten million births. White Buffalo can be the product of various physical differences, including albinism, leucistic syndrome, or belonging to a crossbreed like beefalo. White Buffalo Calf Woman, also known as the White Buffalo Maiden, is a holy woman of supernatural origin who serves as the primary cultural prophet in the Lakota religion.
11. Zebra
Zebra stripes come in a variety of designs, each one special. Zebras are grazers that can survive on low-quality plants. Lions prey on them primarily, and they usually flee when threatened, but they may also bite and kick. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies many zebras as near-threatened to endangered, depending on their location.
Share your favorite purple animal on the Wide Open Pets Facebook page!
