An Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist has shared extremely rare images of an albino caribou calf that she encountered north of Fairbanks.
Jordan Pruszenski told Alaska Public Media that she was conducting an aerial survey in late June when the pilot spotted a small animal with bright-white fur and veered for a closer look.
Pruszenski recalled: "You could totally see it like on the horizon, and then it steps onto the snow patch and totally disappears."
Pruszenski, who took photos as the pilot circled, noted the tiny caribou's "beady red eyes" and pink hooves, indicating that the calf was, in fact, albino.
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According to Alaska Public Media, the last documented sighting
of an albino caribou calf in the state occurred in 1976. That calf was observed for a prolonged period through a spotting scope, but no photographs were taken.
The white calf spotted by Pruszenski was only a few weeks old and it remains unclear if it’s still alive.
Albino critters are easier for predators to spot, and also face potential health challenges related to their condition.
Additionally, they lack melanin, a pigment that helps protect mammals from ultraviolet rays.
But Pruszenski was hopeful, telling Alaska Public Media: "It's getting pretty snowy up north, so that might help it along its survival journey, hiding from predators at least."
The biologist did not reveal the name of the caribou herd to prevent photographers from trying to locate the calf.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Extremely rare albino caribou calf encountered in Alaska
