Rare Albino Baby Turtle Spotted on Great Barrier Reef Island Resort for First Time Since 2016
A baby albino green sea turtle has been spotted making its way across the sand in Australia. The hatchling has a rare pink coloration due to lack of cell pigmentation, and marine experts are excited by the find. But they fear for the turtle’s survival.
The hatchling was spotted on the shores of Lady Elliot Island off the coast of Bundaberg, Australia, early March. Usually dark gray and green with a pale yellow underbelly, this hatchling emerged pinky-white with red eyes, tell-tale traits of albinism.
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Surveyors on Queensland s Lady Elliot Island have merely glimpsed a few albino hatchlings but never a grown-up. Jessica Buckman is familiar with locating crawlers when she stride to Queensland s Lady Elliot Island to check newly hatched green turtle nests.
But the little pink creature she discovers in the neck of one nest on Monday was different from a normal discovery - an unusual albino hatchling that was having slight difficulty digging itself out.
(Photo : Pixabay)
100,000 Eggs Laid
Buckman said to Guardian Australis from the Great Barrier Reef s southernmost coral cay, I brought out a bit of sand and she or a he was at the center of it. I was very surprised, It was quite extraordinary to witness.
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