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A rare white penguin has been discovered in Antarctica among one of the world’s largest penguin species
Among a colony of black and white penguins with bright orange beaks in Antarctica is one animal that stands boldly apart from the rest. Scientists have discovered that one of the penguins is almost completely white – the result of a rare condition that makes it more susceptible to danger.
The female penguin belongs to the Gentoo species, animals that typically have bright reddish-orange bills and black heads with white patches around their eyes. But on Jan. 4, researchers at the González Videla Antarctic base found one that looked a little different – it’s almost entirely white.
The lack of color is caused by a genetic mutation known as leucism.
“Although pigmentation is present, it is not present across the whole specimen,” veterinarian Diego Penaloza told Reuters, saying there have been similar cases of the mutation across other species, including giraffes, alligators, whales and bison. Unlike albinism, which impacts all melanin production, leucism only has partial effects and does not impact pigment cells in the eyes.
The condition itself isn’t harmful in and of itself, it can still prove dangerous for the penguin.
“In this case, being an animal that has a mostly white body, it can make it easier for a predator to hunt it and that is why cases of leucism are also very rare,” Penaloza said. “Because in addition to being recessive genes that are rarely seen, they are also animals that are very exposed – in the case of penguins – to being eaten more easily by a predator.”
According to the Australian Antarctic Program, Gentoo penguins are the third largest living penguin species, with adults ranging in size from about 11 to 17.5 pounds. In comparison, emperor penguins, the largest living penguin species, can reach nearly 4 feet tall and more than 88 pounds, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
And while gentoos are among the largest in physical size, population size is a different story. These animals “are one of the least numerous Antarctic penguins, with about 300,000 breeding pairs,” according to the British Antarctic Survey. They are also known for having one of the “most prominent” tails of all penguin species with the appendage known for sweeping from side to side as the animals walk, the group says.
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Former New York Gov. David Paterson, stepson attacked while walking in New York City
NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson were attacked in New York City on Friday night, authorities said.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Second Avenue near East 96th Street on the Upper East Side, according to the New York City Police Department.
Police said officers were sent to the scene after an assault was reported. When officers arrived, police say they found a 20-year-old man suffering from facial injuries and a 70-year-old man who had head pain. Both victims were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the former governor said the two were attacked while “taking a walk around the block near their home by some individuals that had a previous interaction with his stepson.”
The spokesperson said that they were injured “but were able to fight off their attackers.”
Both were taken to Cornell Hospital “as a precaution,” he added.
Police said no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The 70-year-old Paterson, a Democrat, served as governor from 2008 to 2010, stepping into the post after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer following his prostitution scandal. He made history at the time as the state’s first-ever Black and legally blind governor.