How common is albinism and what gene causes it?

International Albinism Awareness Day aims to promote a better understanding of albinism and combat discrimination against people with albinism.

EXPLAINER
News|Infographic

By Mohammed Haddad

Published On 13 Jun 2023

Albinism is a rare genetic condition that results in a lack of pigmentation (melanin) that normally gives colour to hair, skin and eyes.

People with albinism commonly experience sensitivity to bright light, which can lead to blindness and skin cancer. Additionally, in some countries, people with albinism suffer discrimination, violence and even death.

To promote a better understanding of albinism and combat discrimination against people with albinism, the United Nations designated June 13 as International Albinism Awareness Day.


What causes albinism?

Albinism is caused by mutations in specific genes that are responsible for melanin production. This gene is recessive, meaning that both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed on. Albinism is not a disease, but is a genetic condition that people are born with.

There are several different types of albinism and the degree of pigmentation varies depending on the specific type one has.

Individuals with albinism face a high risk of skin cancer which is responsible for at least 80 percent of deaths, according to the UN. This risk is so significant that 98 percent of people with albinism do not live beyond the age of 40.

While there is no cure for the absence of melanin that is central to albinism, the condition can be managed by avoiding direct sunlight, wearing high-quality sunglasses that can block ultraviolet rays and wearing sun-protective clothing and hats when outdoors.


How common is albinism?

While albinism is generally uncommon, some forms of the condition are extremely rare.


Albinism occurs worldwide regardless of ethnicity or gender. While reliable data are not available for many parts of the world, it is estimated that in North America and Europe one in every 17,000 to 20,000 people have some form of albinism.

Albinism is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa with estimates of one in 5,000 to one in 15,000.

What is the preferred term?

The term “albino” has historically been used in a derogatory way, so “person with albinism” is preferred when referring to those with the condition. “Albino” defines a person by his or her appearance, while “person with albinism” puts the person before the condition.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

On the trail of the trade in human body parts

What is albinism and what causes it?    

Malawi: People with albinism ‘living in fear’  

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Living – and dying – with albinism in Malawi       

Malawi: Killing of a girl with albinism shows community urgently needs better protection

LAWILINK/Amnesty International
NEWS December 2, 2022

The killing of a three-year-old girl shows the urgent need to better protect people with albinism following a series of attacks over recent weeks.

The horrific nature of the death of Tadala Chirwa is deeply shocking, and a cause of great concern

Vongai Chikwanda, Senior Campaigner for Amnesty International in Southern Africa

Amnesty International calls on the authorities to improve the protection of persons with albinism across the country after the killing of this week of Tadala Chirwa. Before midnight on 30 November, an unidentified man broke into her grandmother’s house where she was sleeping and killed her, before chopping off her left arm and taking it away.

“The horrific nature of the death of Tadala Chirwa is deeply shocking, and a cause of great concern,” said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Campaigner for Southern Africa.

“This killing and the removal of a limb is consistent with past patterns on attacks on persons with albinism, which are driven by the false belief that their body parts bring wealth and good luck.”

“Authorities must promptly and thoroughly investigate the killing of Tadala Chirwa and ensure that those suspected of responsibility are brought to justice in fair trials.”

The authorities must also take urgent steps to guarantee the safety and security of persons with albinism in Malawi

Vongai Chikwanda

“The authorities must also take urgent steps to guarantee the safety and security of persons with albinism in Malawi, including by investigating all past attacks and delivering justice for victims and their families.”

Background

The attack took place in Mawawa village, near the town of Kasungu, in central Malawi before midnight on 30 November. Tadala Chirwa was reportedly sleeping in the same bed with her grandmother when an unidentified man broke into the house, stabbed the child in the neck, chopped off her arm, and fled. The attack follows the attempted abduction of a two-year old boy with albinism in Phalombe district, in the south of the country, on 19 November.

The toddler was asleep with his mother and a sibling when three masked assailants tried to force their way into their home. The mother managed to get her family to safety. In October the body of a person with albinism who had died was illegally exhumed from a grave and their legs and arms were removed.

Albinism is a rare inherited condition. People with albinism have a reduced amount of melanin, or no melanin, affecting their skin colouring and eyesight.

MALAWI

KILLINGS AND DISAPPEARANCES

Malawi Southern Africa: Persons with albinism especially vulnerable in the face of COVID-19

Malawi: Resurgence of killings and abductions of persons with albinism spells a dangerous escalation

Malawi: People with albinism in urgent need of protection after horrific killing

SEE LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for ALBINISM 

Scientist identify candidate genes associated with albinism in Wels catfish

Peer-Reviewed Publication

ESTONIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

 

IMAGE: 

ALBINO WELS CATFISH (PHOTO: ANTI VASEMÄGI)

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CREDIT: ANTI VASEMÄGI, RIHO GROSS

An international research team from Estonian University of Life Sciences and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has discovered a set of candidate genes causing albinism in one of the largest freshwater fish, Wels catfish (Silurus glanis).

Lack of pigmentation, a condition known as albinism, is a rare event which occurs occasionally across different taxa. It is usually caused by specific changes in the genome. Yet identifying exact molecular culprits for different species is not a simple task. This is because the melanin pigment synthesis and metabolism pathways, which are responsible for most types of pigmentation in animals, are relatively complex. As a result, mutations in many different genes can cause albinism. "Essentially, albinism is a phenomenon where, as a result of a mutation, a gene no longer functions normally or is completely shut down," said Vasemägi, the leading scientist of the study. "The mechanisms of albinism can therefore be compared to an airplane that cannot take off due to unknown malfunction. Complex systems, such as metabolic pathways or airplanes, can become non-functional in many different ways from leaks in the fuel tank to the absence of a pilot. Therefore, the number of potential genes responsible for this loss-of-function trait causing albinism is relatively large, especially when we consider a broader evolutionary context beyond primates," he added.

"During the study, we analysed the expression patterns and splicing variation of more than ten thousand genes in four different tissues, and discovered a plenty of differences between albino and normally pigmented catfish," explained Vasemägi. "We identified several genes across multiple tissues as the most promising candidates, such as hps4, hsp90b1, raph1, uqcrfs1 genes, potentially causally linked to the albino phenotype in Wels catfish. Interestingly, these genes also cause albinism and pigmentation disorders in humans, channel catfish and mice. On the other hand, very few alternatively spliced genes showed consistent association with pigmentation, which indicates that the observed alternative splicing cases are most likely not causally linked with albinism in Wels catfish,” he added.

"During the differential gene expression analysis, we also observed significant differences between albino and pigmented catfish related to general energy metabolism and the immune system, supporting previous physiological studies," added Professor Riho Gross, head of the Chair of Aquaculture at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, who participated in the study. Prof. Gross has been leading an innovation project funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, the aim of which was to develop and optimize the technology of artificial propagation and breeding of Wels catfish in Estonia and to identify populations with the best fish farming characteristics and genetic indicators.

This work provides the first transcriptome-wide multi-tissue insights into the albinism of Wels catfish and serves as a valuable resource for further understanding the genetic mechanisms of pigmentation in fish.
The results described in this article are published in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The project was funded by Estonian Research Council and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

M.Y. Ozerov, K. Noreikiene, S. Kahar, M. Flajšhans, R. Gross, A. Vasemägi (2024) Differential expression and alternative splicing analyses of multiple tissues reveal albinism-associated genes in the Wels catfish (Silurus glanis). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 110941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.110941

  

Normally pigmented Wels catfish (photo: Anti Vasemägi)

Albino Wels catfish in fish hatchery (photo: Riho Gross)

JOURNAL

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

DOI

10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.110941 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Differential expression and alternative splicing analyses of multiple tissues reveal albinism-associated genes in the Wels catfish (Silurus glanis)

 

Texas A&M researchers develop comprehensive genetic map for bison, discover gene responsible for albinism

Discovery marks the first time anyone has determined the gene mutation responsible for an observable trait in bison

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

 

WHITE CLOUD, A FEMALE ALBINO BISON, LIVED WITH THE NATIONAL BUFFALO MUSEUM HERD IN JAMESTOWN, NORTH DAKOTA, UNTIL HER DEATH IN 2016 AT THE AGE OF 20. RESEARCHERS AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY’S SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES RECENTLY THE DISCOVERED THE GENE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALBINISM IN BISON.

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CREDIT: PHOTO COURTESY OF SEARLE SWEDLUND AND THE NATIONAL BUFFALO MUSEUM

By Courtney Price, Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

A research team led by scientists from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has developed the most comprehensive genome yet for the North American bison, bringing the animal’s genetic roadmap up to date with the latest genome sequencing technology. In doing so, the research team also discovered the gene responsible for albinism in bison.

The study — recently published  in G3: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics — details the development of this high-resolution reference genome, which the researchers then used to produce the first test for genetic mutations, starting with the mutation responsible for albinism.

Albinism, a rare condition characterized by a lack of pigment in an animal’s body, making them look white with red eyes, has historical significance in that albino bison have been recognized as a religious symbol for some Native American Indigenous tribes. 

The study also lays the framework for determining other genetic variations that impact important bison traits, such as those that contribute to the health and production value of this species.

New Genome, New Possibilities

Dr. James Derr, a VMBS professor of veterinary pathobiology and genetics who led the research team that created the first bison genome back in 2015, assembled the team that developed this new reference genome. This team includes assistant professor of genetics Dr. Brian Davis, graduate student Sam Stroupe, and representatives from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the National Park Service.

“Because reference genomes can help researchers identify and characterize genes that are responsible for a large number of traits, this technology is used to do all kinds of things, including diagnosing health conditions and developing targeted treatments,” Davis said.

The newest bison reference genome was developed using technology that allows researchers to create genomes based on DNA from hybrids, which are animals with DNA from two different species. In this case, the researchers used DNA from a type of bison-cow hybrid called an F1, or individuals with a perfect 50-50 split between its parents’ DNA.

In general, F1 hybrids between bison and cattle are rare but have historically happened, since we now know that most bison herds in North America contain descendants of hybrids between bison and cattle — a discovery that Derr and his research partners made last year.

“One day we got a call from Texas Parks and Wildlife saying they knew someone who had an F1 hybrid,” Derr said. “It was the first fully documented, first-generation F1 hybrid I have seen in 25 years of working with bison. That’s why we were able to do this.”

To create the new bison genome, the researchers first sequenced the genome of the F1 hybrid as well as the bison mom and the domestic cattle father. With this information, they were able to separate bison DNA from the cattle DNA regions in the hybrid. 

Since the cattle genome is already very advanced, it provided a reference for creating the new bison genome, helping to guide researchers in developing the complete high-resolution reference bison genome.

To prove the utility of the new genome, the team set out to discover which gene mutation was responsible for albinism in bison and to create a genetic test that could be used to identify carriers of that mutation. 

The discovery is the first time anyone has successfully determined the gene mutation responsible for an observable trait in bison.

“We knew albinism was an inherited recessive trait, but we didn’t know which gene was responsible,” Stroupe said. “So, we sequenced the DNA from a few albino bison and compared them to those of normal coloration to find the mutation that causes albinism. As it turns out, the mutation causes an important enzyme to cease functioning correctly, which leads to the lack of skin pigmentation.”

The Uniqueness Of Albino Bison

Many North American Indigenous peoples regard white bison as sacred entities with prophetic spiritual associations. While not all white bison have albinism, the birth of one is cause for celebration in some communities.

Despite this cultural significance, Derr isn’t suggesting that people try to produce albino bison using genetic testing. 

“Sadly, albino bison are often not very healthy,” Derr said. “They tend to develop skin cancers, and they can develop other health problems as they age.”

Albino bison are also different from white or tan bison that result from crossing bison with white cattle, particularly Charolais. These bison lack the red eyes and pink nose of true albinos.

Now that a more accurate bison genome exists, scientists can learn more about the genetic makeup of North America’s bison population.

“The development of this new reference genome and the identification of a causative genetic mutation is exciting news for bison,” Derr said. “It opens the doors for new discoveries and insights into bison genetics. 

“Overall, this is a vital step toward the future conservation management of the United States’ national mammal,” he said. 

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JOURNAL

G3 Genes Genomes Genetics

DOI

10.1093/g3journal/jkad156 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Chromosome-level reference genome for North American bison (Bison bison) and variant database aids in identifying albino mutation

#SPIRITANIMAL

Rare yellow 'albino' turtle that 'looks like melted burger cheese' is rescued from a village pond in India

Animal is believed to be a rare example of the specie called Indian flap shell
It is a bizarre yellow colour likely due to a genetic mutation causing albinism
Villagers s rescued the animal from a pond in a West Bengal, India

By JOE PINKSTONE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 3 November 2020 

A bizarre turtle that is bright yellow has been spotted in a village pond in West Bengal, India.

The rare animal is afflicted with a form of albinism which affects its colouration and has been compared online to melted cheese on a burger.

It belongs to a rare species called the Indian flap shell turtle.


A bizarre turtle that is bright yellow has been spotted in a village pond in West Bengal, India. The rare animal is afflicted with a form of albinism

Sneha Dharwadka posted images of the turtle on Twitter and suggested two potential explanations for its bizarre colouration. 

'It's an albino kind whose peculiar yellow colour is may be bcoz of either some genetic mutation or congenital disorder due to absence of tyrosine pigment,' he says. 

The Indian flap shell turtle, which is normally green, is typically found in South Asia and is between 9 to 14 inches long.

In August, a similar animal of the same species was discovered in Nepal.

At the time it was compared to a mythological incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu.

These two events make up just the fifth and sixth sightings of albinism in this species.

Sneha Dharwadka posted images of the turtle on Twitter and suggested two potential explanations for its bizarre colouration. 'It's an albino kind whose peculiar yellow colour is may be bcoz of either some genetic mutation or congenital disorder due to absence of tyrosine pigment,' he says

The Indian flap shell turtle, which is normally green, is typically found in South Asia and is between 9 to 14 inches long. In August, a similar animal of the same species was discovered in Nepal

pic.twitter.com/kNQ4F48lTI— Ordingandr (@Ordingandr96) November 1, 2020

Kamal Devkota, a reptile expert who documented the previous find, said the reptile had a deep spiritual significance.

'Not only golden animals but turtles overall have significant religious and cultural value in Nepal,' he said.

'It is believed that Lord Vishnu took the form of a turtle to save the universe from destruction in his incarnation.

'In Hindu mythology the upper shell of the turtle denotes the sky and lower shell denotes earth.'

Vi tushnu'srtle avatar, known as Kurma, is today worshipped in a number of temples in India.

The golden turtle owes its remarkable colour to chromatic leucism — a condition characterised by a loss of colour pigmentation.

Leucism usually results in white, pale or patchy skin, but in this case it lead to xanthophores — cells abundant with yellow pigments — becoming dominant.

God said: pic.twitter.com/3m20Iqk5Oe— WeaponTheory (@WeaponTheory) November 1, 2020

Kamal Devkota, a reptile expert who documented a similar previous find, said the reptile had a deep spiritual significance. 'Not only golden animals but turtles overall have significant religious and cultural value in Nepal,' he said

Madagascar police shoot dead protesters seeking revenge for albino kidnapping

FRANCE 24 - Yesterday 

At least 18 people were killed in Madagascar on Monday when police opened fire on a what they called a lynch mob demanding that officials turn over to them four suspects held for allegedly kidnapping a child with albinism and killing the mother.

Madagascar police shoot dead protesters seeking revenge for albino kidnapping© Rijasolo, AFP

Dozens were wounded, some of them seriously.

"At the moment, 18 people have died in all, nine on the spot and nine in hospital," said doctor Tango Oscar Toky, chief physician at a hospital in southeastern Madagascar.

"Of the 34 injured, nine are between life and death," said the doctor giving graphic details of the injuries. "We are waiting for a government helicopter to evacuate them to the capital".

Around 500 protesters armed with blades and machetes "tried to force their way" into the station, a police officer involved in the shooting said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"There were negotiations, (but) the villagers insisted," the officer told AFP over the phone from the town of Ikongo, 90 kilometres (56 miles) southeast of the capital Antananarivo.

Police first fired teargas and then rounds in the air to try to disperse the crowd, he said.

"They continued to force their way through. We had no choice but to defend ourselves," the officer added.

The national police in the capital confirmed the "very sad event", but only gave a toll of 11, with 18 injured.

Andry Rakotondrazaka, the national police chief, told a news conference that what happened was a "very sad event. It could have been avoided but it happened".

He said the police "did everything to avoid confrontation", including negotiating with the crowd,

"But there were provocations"... (and) there were people with "long-bladed knives and sticks", he said, adding others hurled stones towards the police.

"The gendarmes used tear gas. But that was not enough to stop the crowd from advancing. There was shooting in the air."

But in the end the gendarmes had "no choice but to resort to self-defence... and limit the damage by shooting".

The kidnapping took place last week, according to Jean-Brunelle Razafintsiandraofa, a member of parliament for Ikongo district.

Revenge attacks

Revenge attacks are common in Madagascar.

In February 2017, a mob of 800 people barged into Ikongo prison in search of a murder suspect they intended to kill.

They overpowered guards and 120 prisoners broke out of jail.

In 2013, a Frenchman, a Franco-Italian and a local man accused of killing a child on the tourist island of Nosy Be were burned alive by a crowd.

Some sub-Saharan African countries have suffered a wave of assaults against people with albinism, whose body parts are sought for witchcraft practices in the mistaken belief that they bring luck and wealth.

Albinism, caused by a lack of melanin, the pigment that colours skin, hair and eyes, is a genetic condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, particularly in Africa.

Under The Same Sun, a Canada-based charity working to combat discrimination, has been logging cases of similar violence across Africa.

It ranks Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania as the countries where such attacks are most prevalent.

Madagascar, a large Indian Ocean island country, is ranked among the poorest in the world.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)

The Samaritans offer support and advice to people feeling suicidal or vulnerable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their website is https://www.samaritans.org, email address jo@samaritans.org or call free on 116 123

‘Albino Hunters’ Accused of Kidnapping and Butchering  Children

Philip Obaji Jr. 

Mon, September 12, 2022 

Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty/Alamy

ABUJA, Nigeria—Some five hundred villagers gathered in front of a police station in Madagascar’s southeastern district of Ikongo, armed with sticks and machetes.

It was Aug. 29, and they had just learned that four people suspected of kidnapping an albino child and killing the child's mother were to be transferred from the local police station—where they’d been held since the incident occurred a week earlier—to the Tsiafahy maximum security prison in the capital.

Scenes of violence and bloodshed ensued.

“We believed that if these people were taken to Tsiafahy or even left in the [Ikongo] police station, they'll eventually be released and not made to face justice because the police and some of those working in the prison are corrupt,” said one protester, Nomena, who The Daily Beast is choosing to identify by his first name to protect him from possible retribution. “We wanted the police to hand these people [the suspects] to the villagers… or to the military, who we know can handle the matter without being biased.”

But the demonstration in Ikongo turned chaotic as policemen, who said they had “no choice but to resort to self-defense,” opened fire on the protesters. As many as 21 demonstrators were killed and 30 others injured.

“Criminals cannot continue to kill albino children in Ikongo while adults like us just keep quiet and not do anything about it,” Rajo, a 31-year-old auto mechanic who took part in the protest, told The Daily Beast. “We don't trust the police to do what is right because some officers have been bribed by these criminals.”

Reports of abductions, attacks and killings of children with albinism are far too common throughout Madagascar. In the past two years, more than a dozen attacks and killings of albino children have been recorded across the impoverished country in incidents the United Nations said probably occur more often than is being officially reported. According to the UN, the attacks are expected to increase as dangerously false beliefs that the body parts of albino people can be used in rituals to bring wealth and protection continue to grow.

In recent months, according to a number of locals, numerous albino people—some as young as 4—have been kidnapped or killed in and around Ikongo, based on the myth that concoctions mixed with their body parts bring good fortune. Their butchered bodies are often found later without parts like skin, hair, breasts, limbs, nose, eye or genitals depending on the nature of the rituals. In some cases, grave robbers have dug out corpses to retrieve dead bodies of albinos.

One such attack occurred early this year when a 4-year-old albino boy was kidnapped one afternoon while playing with his peers outside his family's compound, according to locals who said his mutilated body was later found lying on a street in an area outside Ikongo. The incident, they said, was reported to police who claimed to have arrested a male suspect but later said the suspect was let go because they couldn’t prove he was responsible for the abduction.

“We don’t believe anyone was arrested at all because there were some officers who told us in confidence that they never saw the suspect at the station,” said Rajo.

The attacks, according to those with knowledge of how they are carried out, are often blatant. In some cases, kids are seized from their parents in broad daylight while walking on the streets. Compounds are attacked and people are kidnapped regardless of the hour. In a few instances, fingers have been pointed at family members and close friends. Even police officers have been accused of such crimes.

Most of the attacks on people with albinism, a genetic disorder that prevents the skin from producing enough melanin, occur in impoverished areas with low education levels and strong superstitious beliefs.

“Attacks on albinos even happen right in front of security officers who look the other way,” Dorion, a 40-year-old welder in Ikongo who took part in the Aug. 29 protest, told The Daily Beast. “No one is bothered about protecting albino people here.”

Albino Black Market Body Part Crimes in Africa Seeing Justice

In March, according to Darion, the 6-year-old albino daughter of his close friend was snatched while standing right in front of her home outside of Ikongo. Her parents allegedly tried to fight the three unarmed attackers off, but without success. “Policemen stood just 50 meters away watching without making any attempt to intervene,” Darion alleged.

The Madagascar National Police did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comments.

A Madagascan woman, who once lived in Ikongo with two of her albino daughters, told The Daily Beast that people with albinism, a condition that is said to affect as many as 1 in every 1,400 people in Africa, are often forced to remain indoors in order to avoid attacks. “If you get noticed as an albino, your home could be visited by kidnappers,” said Marie Ramanantsoa, who said her daughters narrowly escaped being kidnapped after she and her neighbors fought off body-part hunters who came for her girls two years ago.

The kidnapping of albino children, according to Ramanantsoa, who now lives in Nigeria, has become a lucrative business for hunters who traffic dismembered body parts to other parts of East Africa, where they are also used in similar witchcraft rituals.

“Someone in Ikongo told me I could make thousands of U.S. dollars if I sold my daughter to a body-part trader in Malawi, where the demand is high,” said Ramanantsoa. “If these body-part hunters can't steal your child, they'll offer you money to take them away.”

For Madagascans who are against the continued killing of albino children for rituals, the best way to fight the crime is to ensure that those who are caught in the act are immediately made to face justice.

“The police have to act transparently if they don't want people to seek mob justice when a suspect is arrested,” Jérôme Fontaine, a human rights activist in Antananarivo, told The Daily Beast. “If suspects are charged to court immediately after their arrest, the people will be confident that justice will be done.”

This is what an albino squirrel looks like
ARTICLE FAILS TO INCLUDE PICTURES!

Pete Warner, 
Bangor Daily News, Maine
Thu, December 30, 2021

Dec. 30—Doug and Christine Chadwick had an unexpected visitor at their home on Christmas morning.

The Chadwicks were treated to a rare sighting: an albino gray squirrel.

"It showed up at our bird feeder on Christmas morning. Quite a surprise and a really nice gift from Mother Nature," the Chadwicks said in an email.

It has been a gift that keeps on giving.

"It is really enjoyable watching it, as it has been coming every day since Christmas along with about 10 other squirrels," they said.

While many Maine wildlife sightings involving white or mostly white animals and birds are a treat, the squirrel appears to be special.

"Albinism and leucism are inherited conditions that are caused by lack or reduction of pigments in the skin, fur, feathers or scales [yes, birds and reptiles can be white, too!]," said Shevenell Webb, furbearer biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

"Albino animals tend to be completely white, whereas leucism can result in patchy white areas, pale colors, or the entire body being white," Webb said. "These conditions are difficult to tell apart, especially at a distance."

We recently published a photo of a piebald deer, one that was mostly white with some subtle patches of tan hair. And we also showed you Larry Gooding's video of a cow moose with a large patch of white fur along its back.

But the squirrel appears to be a true albino animal.

"It actually is a full albino because it does have pink eyes, even though they don't show up in the photos," the Chadwicks said. "This is the first one we have ever seen."

Webb said the eyes are the detail that makes the albino identification more definitive.

"Pink or pale eyes are a red flag for albino, whereas dark eye color points to leucism," Webb said.

Being an albino definitely has short-term advantages for the squirrel, but also poses some dangers.

"Camouflage is pretty good in the snow and we are hoping it survives after the snow leaves because we have several hawks and eagles in the area," the Chadwicks said.

Webb agreed that the lack of pigmentation likely could be problematic for the squirrel next spring.

"Most animals have fur or feathers that provide camouflage with their environment. The white squirrel may match his snowy background now, but being white is a big disadvantage to hide from predators during other times of year," Webb said.

We greatly appreciate Doug and Christine Chadwick sending along the photos of the albino squirrel and many thanks to Shevenell Webb for continuing to enlighten us about Maine wildlife!

SO HERE YA GO...

Demystifying the Illusive White Squirrel

4/15/2019

 

For many of us on the West Coast of North America the existence of a white squirrel is difficult to imagine, but it is not as uncommon as you may think! Populations of white squirrels can be found in places across the United States and sightings of these mystical creatures are becoming more common.  🦄🐿👀

​The white squirrels we see in North America are the result of various rare genetic variants or mutations. However, in Thailand and other parts of East Asia there is a sub-species of tree squirrel, the Finlayson's squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysonii), in which a white coat is characteristic of the species. White coats may be common place amongst this group, but broadly speaking it is still a vary rare squirrel color. There are over 200 species of squirrels and only one subspecies is found to have white as a primary color morph! 🌈🐿

Finlayson's squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysonii)

There are two primary forms of white squirrels in the United States- albino squirrels and a rare morph of the eastern grey squirrel. ​

The easiest way to know if the white squirrel you spotted is albino or a rare morph is by its eye color. Albino squirrels are completely white with red or pink eyes.  This unique eye color is found in all albino animals and is a result of a lack of melanin​ pigments that produce eye and coat color. Albinism is a genetic condition caused by a recessive gene. This means that both the mom and dad squirrel have to be carriers of this gene in order to produce albino offspring. This is what makes it so rare!  It is estimated that 20-30% of white squirrels in North America are albino.

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The rare white morph of the eastern grey squirrel has black eyes and can have a mix of white and grey coat. Similar to albino squirrels, white eastern grey squirrels owe their unique coat color to their genes. But, unlike albino squirrels who have a mutation on the gene coding for pigmentation, western grey squirrels actually have a gene that codes for a white coat! Despite having this 'white coat' gene, it still only occurs very rarely because being so brightly colored makes a squirrel less able to blend in amongst the trees and thus more visible to predators.
​
Here are some examples of the diversity seen amongst white morph squirrels:  ​

Squirrels that are white due to this white coat color gene are more common than albino squirrels and account for roughly 70% of the white squirrel population in the United States. 

Lastly, if you know me you know I have a special affinity for the eastern fox squirrel. 🐿💕💁🏻‍♀️ White coat color has also been spotted in these guys. However, fox squirrels do not have the gene that western grey squirrels have that codes for a white coat. White eastern fox squirrels occur due to a condition called leucism. Unlike the mutation that causes albinism which prevents the production of melanin, leucism is caused by a decrease in several different types of pigments. Fox squirrels with leucism will not have pink or red eyes but may have patches of white or pale fur. 

Take a look! 👀

​Where can you see a white squirrel? 🐿👀

Catching sight of these rare variations of squirrels is tough unless you know where to find them. There are five main cities that claim to be the official ‘home of the white squirrel’. 
1. Olney, Illinois
2. Marionville, Missouri 
3. Brevard, North Carolina 
4. Exeter, Ontario Canada 
5. Kenton, Tennessee
​
Traveling to one of these locations will greatly increase the success of your white squirrel sighting adventure! 

Below is map of sightings in the United States created by researcher Rob Nelson and Roland Kays a zoologist at North Carolina State University. You can help them keep track of white squirrel populations by logging your sightings! 

Log Your White Squirrel Sightings Here! 

​Want to learn more about white squirrels? Check out this video from the awesome biologists at Untamed Science  and their white squirrel sighting adventure across the Eastern United States! 

Borneo
The world’s only known albino orangutan has been spotted alive and well in a rainforest, more than a year after she was released into the wild. Alba, a blue-eyed primate covered in fuzzy white hair, was found in 2017, where she was being kept as a pet in a cage by villagers in the Indonesian section of Borneo, known as Kalimantan
Photograph: Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation/AFP/Getty Images

ALBINISM IS INCREASING AS AN EVOLUTIONARY TRAIT NOT ONLY IN HUMANS BUT ANIMALS AS WELL, IN AFRICA ALBINISM IN HUMANS IS LEADING TO THEIR DEATHS AT THE HANDS OF WITCHDOCTORS. 

SPIRIT ANIMALS DESPITE THEIR RARITY ARE STILL HUNTED AND KILLED RATHER THAN BEING HELD SACRED TO BE LEFT ALONE.

SPIRIT ANIMALS APPEAR IN AREAS OF GAIA VULNERABLE TO 
HUMAN CONQUEST, COLONIZATION AND DESTRUCTION WHETHER VILLAGE, OR METROPOLIS, HUNTER GATHERER OR AGRARIAN INDUSTRIAL. 

GLOBALIZATION SPREADS CAPITALISM AROUND THE GLOBE
WITH ITS CONSUMPTION FETISH AND DESTRUCTIVE NEED FOR 
GROWTH AT ALL COSTS; OR AT LEAST 3% PER YEAR.

B.C. photographer captures snapshot of rare 'ghost bird' magpie

CBC
Fri, April 26, 2024 a

Clinton, B.C. photographer Amanda Nelson found herself in the right place at the right time when she captured a photo of what she believes is a leucistic magpie. (Submitted by Amanda Nelson - image credit)

Amanda Nelson says she found herself in the right place at the right time to capture a photo of a rare sight.

While visiting a friend, the photographer took a snapshot of what she believes is a leucistic magpie, often referred to as a ghost bird. Nelson, who lives in the Clinton area in B.C.'s Interior, said the bird had been living on her friend's property.

With white-coloured chests and grey wings, leucistic magpies stand out from their black-billed brethren.


"I've actually never seen one of these birds before. I've seen photos, but this is my first time actually seeing one in person," Nelson told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops with Shelley Joyce.

"I was so excited to get my camera and have it ready, but I wasn't prepared for it to take off like it did, so I only got two photos, but those two photos turned out so I was very excited."

Nancy Flood, an ornithologist and president of the Kamloops Naturalist Club, said leucistic magpies aren't to be confused with albino magpies.

"It's not an albino because it's not totally white and it doesn't have pink eyes," she said.

"Albinism, just like in people, is caused by a genetic mutation and it's really bad news for the birds. It causes blindness and causes their feathers to be weak, and they don't last very long … Although [leucism is] very rare, it's much more common than albinism."

Flood said leucistic birds are more common in larger cities because there are all kinds of contaminants in urban areas that can cause genetic mutations and damage melanin cells.

With white-coloured chests and grey wings, leucistic magpies lack the pigmentation of regular magpies, allowing them to stand out in comparison.

With white-coloured chests and grey wings, leucistic magpies stand out from their black-billed brethren. (Submitted by Amanda Nelson)

In 2015, Bird Studies Canada, the country's national bird conservation organization, named Edmonton, Alta., Canada's magpie capital due to its growing population.

In some cases, Flood said leucism can have advantages for male birds.

"Sometimes in birds, there's this thing called the 'rare male effect,' where if birds look unusual, for some reason, they're 'sexier' to the ladies," she said.

Nelson said her interest in photography started in her youth. She only recently got back to the hobby a couple of years ago. She also has a love for birds. It amazes her to watch them, she said.

"I never thought I'd see one," she said of the leucistic magpie.

"You never really expect to find something like this. A lot of the time, patience pays off, but sometimes [you've] got to be in the right place at the right time."