Amazing to see.
A nature reserve in China has captured what is believed to be the world’s first image of an albino panda.
The Wolong national nature reserve released a photo taken in April of an all-white giant panda in the wild, crossing through a forest.
The giant panda is rare, with fewer than 2,000 of them left in the wild. But while a regular giant Panda is rare enough, no fully grown albino giant panda had ever been recorded in the wild before.
“This is the first time a fully albino wild giant panda has been caught on camera, indicating there must be a gene mutation in the giant panda population,” Li Sheng, a researcher at Peking University’s School of Life Sciences, was quoted as saying.
According to National Geographic, albinism occurs in mammals when an individual inherits one or more mutated genes from both parents that interfere with the body’s production of melanin, the main pigment that determines the color of skin, fur, and eyes.
They often have poor eyesight, which puts them at a disadvantage when hunting for food and avoiding danger.
However, Li Sheng said: “Judging from the photo, the panda is physically strong and taking steady steps, suggesting the gene mutation is not affecting its normal life.”
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