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An extremely rare white penguin has been spotted in the Galapagos Islands – believed to be the first in the island’s history
- Guide Jimmy Patino filmed the unusual bird during a tour at Punta Vicente Roca on the island of Isabela
- The rare penguin with the white plumage stood quietly next to a lizard almost twice the size of the clip
- The species of the penguin has not been officially confirmed, but it is believed to be a Galapagos penguin
- The white color is likely caused by some form of leukistic pigmentation, which means that the feathers have no color
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An extremely rare white penguin has been spotted in the Galapagos Islands – believed to be the first in the island’s history.
Guide Jimmy Patino filmed the unusual bird at the Punta Vicente Roca location on Isabela Island when he was giving a tour to two tourists earlier this month.
The rare penguin with the white plumage stood quietly next to a lizard almost twice the size as the curious guide approached.
The bird species has not been officially confirmed, however it is believed to be a Galapagos penguin – or Spheniscus mendiculus – that is endemic to the archipelago.
Galapagos penguins usually have a black head and two white lines that slope down from their eyes towards the chin. They also have a black stripe on the neck.
This penguin’s white color is likely caused by some form of leukistic pigmentation, meaning that it lacks its feathers that the black penguins are usually associated with.
An extremely rare white penguin has been spotted in the Galapagos Islands and is believed to be the first of its kind in the region (picture).
Guide Jimmy Patino filmed the unusual bird (pictured) at the Punta Vicente Roca location on Isabela Island when he was giving a tour to two tourists earlier this month
The leukistic pigmentation – which causes a loss of feather color – is sometimes caused by trauma, but more often is genetic.
The condition is different from albinism in that the bird’s eyes and beak are normal if it has leukism.
A Galapagos National Park spokesman said it was the first time such an animal was seen “in the history” of the archipelago.
They said, “Experts upheld the version of the guide, believing that this is a genetic condition known as leukism that causes partial pigment loss in the plumage while maintaining the normal eye color that distinguishes them from albinos.”
The official statement, as reported in the local media, added: “In the Galapagos Islands there have been cases of albinism and leukism in sharks, lizards, lobsters and finches, among others. This is the first record of a penguin with this disease. ‘
However, experts cannot say for sure that leukistic pigmentation is the cause until a proper exam is done.
The rare penguin with the white plumage was standing quietly next to a lizard almost twice as large as the curious guide moved closer
The species of the penguin has not been officially confirmed, however it is believed to be a Galapagos penguin – or Spheniscus mendiculus – that is endemic to the archipelago
The white color is likely caused by some form of leukistic pigmen
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