Rare albino wallaby born at animal rescue center

By Lauren Beavis

A rare albino wallaby has been born at an animal rescue centre.

Keepers at the charity Little Zoo, in Wiltshire, discovered the white Bennett’s wallaby joey developing inside its mother’s pouch.

The joey was first noticed earlier this year when it began to peek out from its mothers' pouch - but it wasn't until the staff saw its white coat that they realized it was albino.

Nicky Emery, from The Little Zoo, described the discovery of the "very unusual arrival" as "exciting".

Nicky said: "When the joey first appeared it didn’t have any fur, so we couldn’t tell anything was different.

"As the fur started to grow we suddenly realized it was bright white.

"It was quite an exciting discovery for all of us.

"What makes the discovery even more remarkable is that both of the joey’s parents are normal brown Bennett’s wallabies."

Albinism is a genetic condition that prevents the body from producing normal pigmentation.

Animals with albinism typically have white or very pale fur and lighter skin, often with pink or light-colored eyes.

Although pale or light-coloured wallabies do occasionally occur, true albino individuals are much rarer, Nicky said.

The little joey is still spending most of its time safely tucked inside its mother’s pouch but is beginning to venture out more as it grows.

The team has shared photos of the youngster and is inviting supporters to help choose a name.

As it is still too early to confirm whether the joey is male or female, they are asking for creative gender-neutral name suggestions from the public.

Nicola added: “It’s always lovely when our supporters get involved.

"This joey is something quite special, so we’d love people to help us choose the perfect name.”

The Little Zoo is well known for its work rescuing and rehabilitating wolves and wolfdogs, while also caring for a range of other species as part of its educational outreach work.