They discovered a strange white penguin on the …

A strange white penguin has been discovered in the Ecuadorian archipelago of Galapagos, whose flora and fauna are unique in the world, the national park of the same name (PNG) reported on Thursday.

“That case it could be a genetic condition known as leucism which produces a partial loss of pigmentation in the plumage or fur of the animals, while maintaining the normal color of their eyes, which differentiates them from albinos, ”the entity said in a statement.

In addition, he specifies that, according to his technicians, “they are also more resistant to the sun”, even if “only genetic analysis could confirm the diagnosis”. The rare penguin specimen was found a week ago by naturalist guide Jimmy Patiño in northern Isabela Island.

PNG pointed out that in the Galapagos, 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador, cases of albinism or leucism have been recorded in sharks, lizards, lobsters, finches, among others. However, thThis is the first record of a penguin with this condition.

The Charles Darwin Foundation, for its part, works on the constant monitoring of the population of Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculos) in their nesting areas, in which they carry out a control of introduced species to offer them better conditions of survival.

According to PNG, the last monitoring of the species in October showed its highest figure since 2006, so the population is considered healthy. According to these data, the population of Galapagos penguins, the only ones living on the equatorial line, increased from 1,451 in 2019 to 1,940 in 2020.

The Galapagos penguin is one of the smallest varieties in the world and is the only one to live in the wild north of the equator. This bird can measure up to 35 centimeters in height.