A few weeks ago we posted an image of a fully black (melanistic) penguin. Originally shared by National Geographic, it was a truly bizarre and interesting spectacle. While melanistic penguins will occasionally have a some color variation and/or off-color spots, this type of fully black penguin is pretty rare.

In doing some follow-up reading I stumbled upon the same, but opposite effect on an Atlantic Puffin. Sometimes confused as a type of penguin due to the similarities in color and fish-intense diet, this North Atlantic dweller typically has a white breast and black back or coat. Last week however The Times (a popular newspaper in the UK) reported a sighting of a fully white (leucistic) puffin…a similar oddity but opposite effect as the black penguin. It’s not the first sighting but given the proximity of the two events I felt I should share this as well:

Credit: Barbara Fryer

This is the result of leucism, in which color pigments form but are diluted - so rest assured: although extremely rare, this is not a Photoshop job or the result of substance abuse.

You can read the full article in The Times below:
View full article >