38 Incredible Albino (and Leucistic) Animals

Albino animals have a genetic mutation that causes an absence of tyrosinase in their pigment cells, which means they don’t produce melanin pigments. While true albinos are thought to be rare in the wild, a number of animals have a similar genetic abnormality called leucism that also manifests in white fur, feathers, scales, or skin. This albino animals photo gallery includes several leucistic animals. How do you tell them apart? It’s all in the color of the eye. As you may know, true albinos have red or pink eyes, but leucistic animals may have black, brown, or even blue eyes. 

However these animals are classified, they’re all super cool to look at. After all, what’s a giraffe without its spots? How about a cardinal that isn’t the traditional bright red? But while we may often see albino mice or albino rabbits, it’s not often that we catch glimpses of many other albino animals. This is, in part, because bright white animals are very vulnerable to predators. A zebra’s black stripes aren’t just for show – they’re protective camouflage that conceal it from lions, leopards, hyenas, etc. The life expectancy of an albino baby animal born in the wild is very short

Local fishermen call this rare pink dolphin “Pinky” — she has been spotted several times in Calcasieu Lake, Louisiana, most recently in 2015. Albino dolphins are very rare and unfortunately, their pretty pink color makes them extremely vulnerable to predators.

Caretakers at the Seaview Wildlife Park on the Isle of Wight put sunscreen on these guys’ noses each morning to prevent sunburn.

This rare orangutan was rescued from an Indonesian village in May 2017. The five-year-old animal was kept in a cage in Borneo, but when the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation discovered his existence, they fought to free him. They named the orangutan “Alba” which means “white” in Latin.

see more on Orangutan

This baby albino Green turtle was found newly hatched in Australia. Albino births among Green turtles are so rare, there is probably only a one in many hundreds of thousands chance of spotting one. Sadly, their lack of color makes them easy prey.

There are no known albino giraffes in the world, but several leucistic giraffes – like Omo, pictured above in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania – have been spotted.

In September 2017, a pair of pale giraffes was spotted in Kenya. The mother and calf hardly have any spots at all.

This up-to-no-good pair was spotted in Texas.see more on Raccoon

Alberta the Albino lives with her joey at the Marlow Animal Park in Germany.

White peacocks are not albino, but a genetic mutation called leucism causes a lack of pigment in their plumage.see more on Common Peafowl

see more on Python

A white lion is not albino, but its coloring is caused by mutation of the same gene that causes albinism
see more on Lion

This albino humpback whale makes occasional appearances around the Australian Gold Coast. They call him Migalo.

see more on Whale

“Snowflake” was found in modern-day Equatorial Guinea in 1966. Though he died in 2003, he remains the only albino gorilla known to man.

see more on Gorilla

The rare “white elephant” in Burma is traditionally believed to herald good fortune.see more on Asian Elephant

A Ranker staffer used to have an albino hedgehog. His name was Nigel.

see more on Hedgehog

This cardinal is gynandromorphic, meaning it is “half male and half female.” It’s not really albino at all. Sorry, we just think it looks cool.see more on Cardinal

Photo: Reddit

This little African Penguin, named Snowdrop, lived at the Bristol Zoo.

see more on Penguin

These two albino skunks were born in a wildlife rescue centre in England.

This leucistic sea turtle was rescued during the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka.

Matches snow.see more on Moose

How would you like to find this guy rapping, rapping at your chamber door?

And some buddies.

Shh, it’s sleeping.

Sittin on a berry.

If we were into fish fighting, this is the guy we would back.

see more on Cuban tree frog

White-Everything Deer!

see more on Bison

see more on Leopard gecko

This baby was born into Italy’s American Circus in 2011.

It’s just a clever nam