Recently on October 20, an extremely rare Blanche sea turtle - an albino sea turtle - was born at the "Let's Get Cracking" incubation center on the beach of the Six Senses Con Dao resort.
Blanche is a Chelonia Mydas, also known as a green sea turtle, born with hypopigmentation syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes a reduction in melanin (the pigment that determines skin, hair, and eye color in humans and animals) in Blanche's skin and shell. Although there are no exact figures on the incidence of leucism in sea turtles, it is recognized that hatchlings with the syndrome are rare, with some marine biologists estimating the occurrence to be one in every hundred thousand sea turtle eggs hatched.
Rare albino sea turtle born in Con Dao
Even under the most favorable conditions, baby sea turtles face numerous challenges as they mature. After hatching, they must cross the beach to reach the ocean, avoiding crabs and birds, before continuing on to avoid countless fish and marine wildlife to avoid falling prey. Additionally, one of the greatest threats to global sea turtle populations today is the threat posed by humans, which comes from poaching, pollution, fishing practices, and the destruction of turtles’ natural habitats.
Blanche faces not only these challenges, but also difficulties arising from her reduced natural camouflage due to hypopigmentation, which makes her white and easily spotted by predators, especially in aquatic environments. Leucistic turtle hatchlings often suffer from a variety of disabilities, including poor vision.
Blanche the sea turtle has just been born.
A representative of Six Senses Con Dao said this is a rare and beautiful baby sea turtle, hoping that Blanche will overcome all challenges to return to the ocean, living a long and happy journey.
Sea turtle Blanche returns to the ocean
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