If there is one thing we recognize about the animal kingdom, it’s the fact that there is plenty of diversity. Even though we may be looking at one particular species, not every animal within that species is going to look the same.
That fact is clearly seen in the case of Marloo, a rather interesting kangaroo. He is an albino Eastern Gray Kangaroo and he mated with Cindy, who is also an Eastern Gray but not albino.
When the joey was born at Panorama Garden Estate southeast of Melbourne, Australia, it was easy to see who the father was.
When you look at the little joey in his mother’s pouch, you can see that he also has albinism. As a result of that condition, there is no pigmentation throughout his body, so he is white from head to toe!
Interestingly, kangaroo albinism is a very rare condition. According to UNILAD, Annemaree Van Rooy, a spokesperson for the estate, shared that it is thought that it only occurs once out of every 50,000 – 100,000 kangaroos.
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With such odds against them, it’s also interesting that it’s not the first albino kangaroo that has come into their possession. The first albino kangaroo was born a number of years ago and now there are nine of them living on the estate!
Albinism can make life difficult for a kangaroo in the wild. They rely on their coloring to hide from predators. It seems as if they are already at a disadvantage because of their poor eyesight so the combination of issues makes them an easy target.
Poachers also tend to focus on kangaroos that are unique, so they become a prime target for those hunters as well. Thankfully, these albino kangaroos are being cared for and protected at the estate.
According to Bush Heritage, dingoes and wild dogs are the greatest predators of the kangaroo.
Those predator numbers have decreased in recent years, as a dog fence was built along the length of the habitat. Keeping them separated allows the kangaroos to mate, and any with unusual coloring have a higher chance of survival.
Other kangaroos may protect those with unique colorings when a threat is involved. This could include forming a ring around the kangaroo and protecting them from wild dogs or dingoes.
This type of protective behavior may even last well into the time when the albino is an adult. As a result, more unique kangaroos are now being seen in the wild.
The post Kangaroo Gives Birth To A Rare Albino Joey That Looks Just Like His Dad appeared first on The Animal Rescue Site News.
from The Animal Rescue Site News https://ift.tt/2Jd6ZGI
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