{"id":213336,"date":"2025-10-10T03:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T03:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/213336\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T03:30:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T03:30:10","slug":"aussies-extraordinary-discovery-on-remote-island-sparks-excitement-very-rare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/213336\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie’s ‘extraordinary’ discovery on remote island sparks excitement: ‘Very rare’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Curiosity has been sparked in Australia’s south after a citizen scientist shared their exceptionally rare discovery<\/a> on a remote island<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Posting incredible photos online this week, a woman on Flinders Island, north of the Tasmanian mainland, shared her excitement at stumbling upon a white echidna \u2014 a native animal hardly ever seen in the wild. The woman questioned an online community for information about the “gorgeous” mammal, which appears to have leucism, the term for a partial lack of pigment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Any comments would be very welcome, as [there’s] not a lot of information about them,” she pleaded.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, echidna expert at the University of Adelaide, Professor Frank Grutzner, explained how certain echidnas<\/a> end up like this, and how the condition differs from albinism.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

It’s quite rare to see a white echidna in the wild, outside of Flinders Island. Source: Ros Lester\/Facebook<\/p>\n

What is leucism, and how does it differ from albinism?<\/p>\n

In most animals, specialised cells called melanocytes produce melanin, which gives colour to skin, fur, feathers, or scales. In leucism, a mutation \u2014 often inherited, but sometimes random \u2014 disrupts how those pigment cells form or spread through the body. As a result, some or all areas lack pigment.<\/p>\n

“An albino is defined as an individual that is unable to produce any dark pigmentation, and the key characteristic is red eyes,” Prof Grutzner said. “This animal has a relatively dark face and sides, so I suspect it is not albinism.”<\/p>\n

Prof Grutzner said there are a few reasons for animals “having white hair”, including genetic mutations affecting pigmentation (leucism), which is the “more likely explanation here”.<\/p>\n

“It would definitely be very rare to spot a white echidna,” he said. “It is clearly an extraordinarily white animal.” As for the animals’ well-being, regardless of whether an individual has albinism or leucism, it can still be perfectly healthy and viable, Prof Grutzner added.<\/p>\n

“We get sightings of white echidnas, and in the wild their colour can vary a lot,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The little creature is likely perfectly healthy, just genetically different. Source: Ros Lester\/Facebook<\/p>\n

People responding to the woman shared her thrill, including many locals from Flinders Island. “Gorgeous, very envious! Lucky you,” a woman said.<\/p>\n

“We (here on Flinders Island) have blonde, brown, reddish and almost black,” added another.<\/p>\n

“I guess it comes down to a closed gene pool,” suggested a third. “I\u2019ve also noticed a lot of leucistic wallabies on Bruny [Island] before. I\u2019m guessing a combination of lack of predators picking off the lighter coloured animals and limited gene pool.”<\/p>\n

Prof Grutzner urged the public to submit echidna sightings to the EchidnaCSI<\/a> project via the iNaturalist application. “With over 18,000 observations Australia-wide, this will help echidna research and conservation,” he said.<\/p>\n

Love Australia’s weird and wonderful environment? \ud83d\udc0a\ud83e\udd98\ud83d\ude33 Get our new newsletter<\/a> showcasing the week\u2019s best stories.<\/p>\n

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