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Albinism in animals. Where do white ghost animals come from? — It’s a matter of genes
White skin and hair, pink irises and reddish eyes. This is what albinism looks like in animals. What causes it?
Albinism, otherwise known as vitiligo, is a rare and curiosity-inducing trait. Albinism in animals draws attention to itself by the white coloration of the skin, hair and eyes. In the wild, they have a hard time surviving. Where does this disorder come from?
Albinism in animals. What causes it?
Albinism is associated with abnormalities in the synthesis or intercellular transport of a dark brown pigment called melanin. It is most often caused by a lack of the enzyme tyrosinase, which is responsible for melanin production. It is a genetic defect. If both parents have the recessive gene, their offspring have a 25% chance of being albino.
Such a genetic pigmentation anomaly is a very big handicap for animals. In addition to the mere white appearance, albinos have vision problems. This is because melanin supports the development of irises and optic nerves. Predators in particular suffer from this, as they find it much harder to hunt, resulting in poorer survival skills.
