A rare albino kangaroo, its startlingly white coat standing out in sharp contrast to its grey-coloured companions, has been spotted near Canberra.
According to rangers, the animal is an eastern grey kangaroo, probably female and aged around two years old.
The age of the kangaroo has surprised wildlife staff, owing to the heightened dangers faced by the pale-skinned animal.
'It’s very rare, there’s no doubt about that,' Brett McNamara, regional manager of the Australian Capital Territory’s Parks and Conservation Service, told Guardian Australia.
McNamara said the albino was 'very comfortable' within her group, or mob, of fellow kangaroos within the park, which sprawls for 106,000 hectares and covers nearly half of the ACT’s area.
He added that no albino kangaroos had been seen in the ACT in recent memory, although an albino echidna was found beside a busy Canberra road last year.
Albinism, which is caused by a genetic mutation, is extremely rare in kangaroos, similar to other species. For that reason, McNamara said rangers wouldn’t be disclosing the exact location of the kangaroo.
Source
According to rangers, the animal is an eastern grey kangaroo, probably female and aged around two years old.
The age of the kangaroo has surprised wildlife staff, owing to the heightened dangers faced by the pale-skinned animal.
'It’s very rare, there’s no doubt about that,' Brett McNamara, regional manager of the Australian Capital Territory’s Parks and Conservation Service, told Guardian Australia.
McNamara said the albino was 'very comfortable' within her group, or mob, of fellow kangaroos within the park, which sprawls for 106,000 hectares and covers nearly half of the ACT’s area.
Photograph: Rohan Thomson/The Canberra Times
He added that no albino kangaroos had been seen in the ACT in recent memory, although an albino echidna was found beside a busy Canberra road last year.
Albinism, which is caused by a genetic mutation, is extremely rare in kangaroos, similar to other species. For that reason, McNamara said rangers wouldn’t be disclosing the exact location of the kangaroo.
Source
Photograph: Rohan Thomson/The Canberra Times
Photograph: Rohan Thomson/The Canberra Times
That is so cool and I love and adore white creatures big and small...:)
shes so beautiful,,,,so cute to be wasted hope someone will always follow her to protect her to humans and animals........................................................................................................evening sonata.
How beautiful.
ah, the snow queen.
That is cool to see and beautiful.
Very beautiful and so out of the ordinary. Hopefully she will be watched and followed. And kept safe
Wonder how many generations until another albino would be born. I love that they are rare and unique.
What a amazing, beautiful kangaroo. I hope she is kept safe from hunters.
Please guard her and keep her safe. As the white buffalo is sacred to some Natuve Americans, are there stories from Australia's indigenous people about a white kangaroo?