At Queensland Zoo in Australia, a unique and rare white koala was born.
The existence of a recessive gene comes from the mother in the body of the animal that causes this color.
The name of the zoo’s newest resident is yet to be revealed. On this occasion, the Australian Tourism Bureau intends to hold a competition.
In January, the koala was born. According to Agence France-Presse, his birth was only formally confirmed on August 21.
While koalas’ skin colors often range from light gray to brown, white koalas are relatively rare in the wild because their hue attracts predators.
The silver gene, according to Rosie Booth, head of the Zoo’s Wild Animal Health Center, is the veterinary nomenclature for this phenomenon.
Animals carrying this gene are born having white or light hair, which comes off like baby teeth as they grow older and is replaced by a more identifiable color.