Current:Home > ScamsA rare white penguin has been discovered in Antarctica among one of the world's largest penguin species -PrimeWealth Guides
A rare white penguin has been discovered in Antarctica among one of the world's largest penguin species
View
Date:2025-04-24 23:40:03
Among a colony of black and white penguins with bright orange beaks in Antarctica is one animal that stands boldly apart from the rest. Scientists have discovered that one of the penguins is almost completely white – the result of a rare condition that makes it more susceptible to danger.
The female penguin belongs to the Gentoo species, animals that typically have bright reddish-orange bills and black heads with white patches around their eyes. But on Jan. 4, researchers at the González Videla Antarctic base found one that looked a little different – it's almost entirely white.
The lack of color is caused by a genetic mutation known as leucism.
"Although pigmentation is present, it is not present across the whole specimen," veterinarian Diego Penaloza told Reuters, saying there have been similar cases of the mutation across other species, including giraffes, alligators, whales and bison. Unlike albinism, which impacts all melanin production, leucism only has partial effects and does not impact pigment cells in the eyes.
The condition itself isn't harmful in and of itself, but it can still prove dangerous for the penguin.
"In this case, being an animal that has a mostly white body, it can make it easier for a predator to hunt it and that is why cases of leucism are also very rare," Penaloza said. "Because in addition to being recessive genes that are rarely seen, they are also animals that are very exposed – in the case of penguins – to being eaten more easily by a predator."
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Protecting the Planet - CBS News (@cbsnewsplanet)
According to the Australian Antarctic Program, Gentoo penguins are the third largest living penguin species, with adults ranging in size from about 11 to 17.5 pounds. In comparison, emperor penguins, the largest living penguin species, can reach nearly 4 feet tall and more than 88 pounds, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
And while gentoos are among the largest in physical size, population size is a different story. These animals "are one of the least numerous Antarctic penguins, with about 300,000 breeding pairs," according to the British Antarctic Survey. They are also known for having one of the "most prominent" tails of all penguin species with the appendage known for sweeping from side to side as the animals walk, the group says.
- In:
- Antarctica
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
veryGood! (31)
Related
- US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
- Salmon fishing is banned off the California coast for the second year in a row amid low stocks
- DJ Mister Cee, longtime radio staple who worked with Biggie and Big Daddy Kane, dies at 57
- Target to use new technology to crack down on theft at self-checkout kiosks: Reports
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Can I claim my parents as dependents? This tax season, more Americans are opting in
- How Tyus Jones became one of the most underrated point guards in the NBA
- Pennsylvania GOP lawmakers roll out higher ed plan built around grants and tuition discounts
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- 2 officers, suspect wounded in exchange of gunfire in Lansing, Michigan
Ranking
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- 'Sound of Freedom' success boosts Angel Studios' confidence: 'We're flipping the script'
- Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg says Trump prosecution isn’t about politics
- When does Masters start? How to watch and what to know about weather-delayed tournament
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Lonton Wealth Management Center: Professional Wealth Management Services
- Runaway goat that scaled bridge 'like a four-legged Spider-Man' rescued in Kansas City
- Driver arrested after fleeing California crash that killed child, injured 4 other passengers
Recommendation
See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
Target to use new technology to crack down on theft at self-checkout kiosks: Reports
John Calipari's Arkansas contract details salary, bonuses for men's basketball coach
Scientists are grasping at straws while trying to protect infant corals from hungry fish
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
North Dakota woman who ran unlicensed day care gets nearly 19 years in prison after baby's death ruled a homicide
Todd Chrisley Ordered to Pay $755,000 After Losing Defamation Lawsuit
TikTokers and Conjoined Twins Carmen & Lupita Address Dating, Sex, Dying and More in Resurfaced Video