The strange nature never ceases to amaze: animals with red or light blue eyes, pink skin and white fur, unique and special. Although rare, albinism It is a condition that occurs in many species. For example, it is worth remembering the case of Copito de Nieve, the albino gorilla captured in 1966 by Dr. Jordi Sabater Pi in the Nko Forest, Equatorial Guinea, and the discovery of which caused quite a stir. Snowflake was the most visited animal at the Barcelona Zoo until his death in 2003.
What is albinism? In dialogue with the UNQ science news agency, science popularizer, Sebastian Kamin, He explains it like this: “There are several genes in animals that are involved in the production of a pigment called melanin. This pigment is mainly present in the skin, hair and eyes. In this sense, albino animals do not produce melanin or, if they do, they do so in very low amounts. To mean, albinism occurs when there is a loss in the ability to produce melanin”.
Genetics and consequences
As in humans, albinism is given by genetics. In genes are the instructions that tell the organism how it should be and how to function; some are dominant and others are recessive. When an embryo forms, half of the genetic information comes from the mother and half from the father. As detailed by Kamin, animals receive a copy from each of their parents; and for albinism to occur, “They need to have both copies modified in some way so that they lose their functionality. If they only have one mutated copy, they can carry the gene but not show it.”.
What consequences does being an albino have for an animal? Kamin responds that melanin works as a protector against ultraviolet light and that is why “they are animals with many skin problems, precisely because of the damage caused by this light, as happens in people”. And he adds that, as it is also present in the eyes, they often have vision problems: albino animals are therefore “very prone to eye or skin problems”.
In that regard, Visual disturbances are often observed as a consequence of the absence of pigment in the iris, which makes the eye more sensitive to light. Sometimes, to compensate for this hypersensitivity, they develop strabismus or even nystagmus (lateral eye movements). Dermatological problems such as dermatitis or even some skin tumors such as melanoma can also be seen relatively frequently.
More visible to your prey
To these consequences are added others: They usually don’t live in snowy places or places where they have something white to hide, so they are much more visible to their prey and predators.. “Prey are more likely to spot them, so they are less likely to hunt them down and get their food,” says Kamin.
In turn, they are more easily detected by predators because they are more distinguishable in the environment they are in, and therefore also less likely to survive because they hunt them faster. It is more difficult for them to get their food and escape their predators.. “Even in certain groups of animals, albino individuals are rejected. Precisely, because they are more easily identified, they put the entire group at greater risk of being preyed upon. They are immediately observed by their predators”, guarantees the scientific communicator.
White or albino cat?
As in other species, in domestic animals, such as dogs and cats, cases of albinism can also occur. In these cases, the hair is white, although it should not be confused, as Not all white-haired dogs and cats are albino..
To determine it, it is not enough to look at the physical characteristics (pink skin, white fur, and light red or blue eyes); although, if it fulfills all of them, there is a high probability that it will. It is also necessary to carry out a genetic analysis by a veterinarian and a specialized laboratory.
How to take care of them for a better quality of life?
In the case of albino animals, the skin is less protected, so the main care will be aimed at protecting it. For this it is necessary Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, as burns can occur in areas devoid of hair, such as the abdomen. But in addition, agents such as dust or some chemicals can cause damage.
Another factor to consider is the quality of the hair. If the hair is well nourished and strong, it will give greater protection to the skin, so care should be taken. quality food to prevent the hair from becoming weak and falling out, and the skin from drying out.
However, the Earth’s biodiversity includes the natural wealth of an ecosystem formed by the number and variety of species that make life in it, where all are necessary and none is better than the other.