Albinism happens when there is little or no production of melanin. The pigment melanin is the main pigment to determine the color of your hair, skin, and eyes.
This rare genetic disorder does not only occur in humans, but also to animals. According to National Geographic, animals that were born albino will have to face many difficulties in the wild.
It is reported that an albino seal puppy was spotted in the sea of Okhotsk in Russia. The seal puppy stands out from the rest of the group with its ginger fur and pink flippers. Experts said that the birth of the albino mammals is one in 100,000.
Albino mammals have the disadvantage to survive in the wild as they tend to have poor eyesight for hunting and safety. They also have a tendency to be shunned by the colony. Thus, biologists are preparing to rescue the seal puppy if it becomes an outcast.
Vladimir Burkanov, a biologist said the puppy has not become a total outcast. It was well fed and looked active which shows that the mother did give the puppy some attention. However, there are signs of the puppy being slightly shunned by other seals.
If the puppy is rejected from its colony, biologists are ready to rescue it and hand it to a dolphinarium. Previously in 2011, an albino seal named Nafanya has to be rescued from its colony and was sent to Sochi Dolphinarium on the Black Sea.
Sources: National Geographic, dailymail.co.uk