Beachgoers and volunteers in South Carolina were in for a surprise after they discovered a rare white sea turtle hatchling, pictures of which have intrigued animal lovers on the internet.
According to a Facebook page post from the Town of Kiawah Island SC, the discovery of the rare white sea turtle excited volunteers and it was the first time they saw such a unique creature.
In a Facebook post, the Town of Kiawah Island SC, wrote, “You can imagine the excited ‘oohs’ and the ‘aah’s’ from the guests, including some College of Charleston students, when the patroller found a lone, leucistic hatchling in the nest. ”
The images show the hatchling walking on the sand and going towards the water.
Notably, the turtle is believed to have a genetic condition called leucism, which causes animals to have reduced pigmentation.
“Leucism is a condition where animals have reduced pigmentation. Leucism is different from albinism as albino animals have a complete loss of pigment, leaving them completely white with red or pink eyes,” the town explained in its Facebook post.
The condition is described as extremely rare, but it is not clear exactly how often such turtles are found in the wild. The Olive Ridley Project, a sea turtle conservation group, says sea turtles with leucism typically have a hard time surviving because of a lack of camouflage.