Extremely rare albino platypus discovered in Australia

Photos and videos of the special platypus have been published in a scientific journal after researchers encountered it several times over the past two years, The Guardian reported on November 2.

University of New England (UNE) PhD student Lou Streeting first spotted the mysterious platypus in early 2021, while searching for the endangered Myuchelys bellii turtle (scientific name) in a stream in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales (Australia).

Rare white platypus swims in stream in New South Wales, Australia

THE GUARDIAN SCREENSHOT

She has seen the platypus several times since then, most recently three months ago, suggesting it appears to lack camouflage.

White platypuses have been recorded in the past, but the newly announced specimen is different. It is not an albino because only part of its body is affected by a lack of melanin - the pigment that gives color to fur, skin and eyes.

"It still has pigmentation. It has a black beak, black feet and a little bit of colour on its tail. So we think it's a platypus with leucism," Ms Streeting said.

This may be the first albino platypus ever recorded by science.

"Searching the scientific literature, newspapers and databases gave us 12 different records of albino platypuses or atypically white platypuses, with the first case dating back to 1835. Our discovery may be the only known record of an albino platypus," said Ms Streeting.

The Australian Conservation Society says the population of the platypus – an egg-laying mammal that has mammary glands but no nipples (though it is still a mammal) – is in decline, with about a quarter of its habitat lost in the past 30 years.

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