Visitors to an Australian zoo are being treated to a rare sight since the birth of a number of koala joeys, one of which is adorned with white fur.
Australia Zoo in Queensland said the koala joey does not have albinism, where there is an absence of pigment in the skin, fur and eyes, but rather her white fur is caused by a recessive gene, thought to be inherited from the koala’s mother named Tia, who has had other pale-coloured joeys in the past.
Seeing a koala born with white fur and brown black skin is more unusual than seeing an albino joey, Dr Rosie Booth, director of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital said.
“In veterinary science it’s often referred to as the ‘silvering gene’ where animals are born with white or very pale fur and, just like baby teeth, they eventually shed their baby fur and the regular adult colouration comes through,” she said.
Dr Booth added that it is usually “unfortunate” to be born with a light colouration as an animal, as it makes them stand out from their camouflage when in the wild and risk being spotted by predators. This joey will not face that risk, though vets at the zoo anticipate that her fur will eventually change colour.
Koalas tend to vary in size and colouration depending on their environment, the zoo said, with southern koalas found to be darker and larger than those in Queensland and South Wales.
The joey has yet to be named by the zoo and Tourism Australia is encouraging people to make suggestions for what to call the animal through its Facebook page.
