Albino Penguin Chick

December 24, 2008

Christmas Eve brought us a treat: an albino penguin baby! Kirsten’s voice crackled over the radio this morning: “Noah, you’ve got to see this. It’s a pink penguin!” Pink? Well, yes, as it turns out, the albino chick has a pink beak, pink legs, a pink eye, and pink skin showing through wispy white down feathers. It looks like a tiny ball of cotton candy (or maybe I’m just having food fantasies). I look forward to seeing the chick grow over the next weeks, as long as its bright color doesn’t attract a hungry skua.

We are looking forward to a white Christmas tomorrow. As I write this, a mountaineer from a nearby field camp is broadcasting a static-filled version of “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” over the radio on the Mount Terror repeater, usually a formal channel. During the holidays, even the most rugged explorers can relax a bit.

Albino Penguin Chick (Left) With "Normal" Sibling (Right)

Wide Angle Penguins

Penguin Diving Into The Ocean

Wet After Coming Ashore

10 Responses to 'Albino Penguin Chick'

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1. Noah,
   Great find. I found two Adelie chicks in the Weddell Sea a few years that were both albino. Most we find are leucistic but true albinos are quite rare. I look forward to seeing more photos. Have a great Christmas.

   

   John Carlson

   25 Dec 08 at 2:34 am

    

2. Merry Christmas at the bottom of the world to you and your compatriots! Stay warm in the Austral Summer. Keep up the great pictures too!

   

   Debbie Barnes

   25 Dec 08 at 2:38 am

    

3. Wonderful images! I wonder how the albino condition will affect the chick’s ability to withstand the extremes of the environment. Adorable photo of the siblings!

   

   vickie

   25 Dec 08 at 2:41 am

    

4. Awww, it’s so cute! But as a previous poster noted, won’t it be less likely to survive? I’d think sunburn alone would be a problem. Oh, well…. Merry Christmas, Noah! Thanks for your wonderful blog!

   

   KL JR

   25 Dec 08 at 2:46 am

    

5. I think we should name it… Pink Gwen!

   

   Derek J

   25 Dec 08 at 2:09 pm

    

6. Pink Gwen, huh? Another punster rears his lovely head.

   

   Sally

   3 Jan 09 at 12:20 pm

    

7. I tried to impress you with 10 puns; unfortunatly No Pun in 10 Did.

   

   Derek J

   6 Jan 09 at 10:03 am

    

8. This baby albino Adelie penguin chick will grow up into a
   albino penguin adult.

   

   Shalandra Vogt

   10 Jan 10 at 10:03 am

    

9. These chicks will grow up into a normal adelie penguin and albino adelie penguin.

   

   Shalandra Vogt

   10 Jan 10 at 10:04 am

    

10. These chicks are in the father’s brood pouch.

    

    Shalandra Vogt

    24 Jan 10 at 8:15 am

     

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