On their wedding day, the newlyweds were witness to an extremely rare sight – the sighting of an albino dolphin, an event that had never been seen before. This rare dolphin, which is believed to be about a month old and about 1 meter long, was seen by the whale watching ship they were traveling on. The albino dolphin was believed to be native to Africa and is believed to be the first of its kind ever seen.
Albinism is an inherited condition that prevents the production of the pigment melanin, which gives skin and hair its white color. Albinos have white and pink eyes, both of which are more sensitive to light than usual. Albinism can often be mistaken for leucism, a condition that prevents individual cells from producing melanin. Leucistic animals may be completely white or have patches of white mixed in with their normal color.
Erich Hoyt, a researcher at Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) in the UK and author of the “Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises”, says from the pictures he has seen, the baby dolphin is likely a true albino. However, he adds that the only way to confirm this is through genetic testing.
Being albino can significantly reduce an animal’s chances of survival, which is why it is so rare in nature. Fortunately, the dolphin’s poor eyesight does not affect it in later life, as dolphins use sound to communicate and hunt. Furthermore, this individual also has the ability to produce offspring of normal color in the future unless its partner also possesses the albino gene.
The sighting of the albino dolphin was a momentous occasion and a truly special wedding gift for the newlyweds. It is a reminder of the beauty and fragility of nature and the importance of conserving and protecting our planet’s wildlife. This sighting also reinforces the importance of continued research into the effects of albinism on the survival of animals in the wild and the need for genetic testing to confirm the condition.
Video :
