The Internet has recently been perplexed by a series of striking images of an incredibly unusual white cougar. The four photos were taken in 2013, but they were recently resurfaced after scientists reported that this was the first case of a leucistic puma ever recorded. The photographs were taken with a trap camera in the Serra dos rgos National Park in Brazil's Atlantic Forest.
Even though albinism, leucism, and even melanism are common in wild cats, there have never been any reports of cougars with these genetic disorders. Scientists are also baffled as to why this is.
This first case of cougar leucism may have helped researchers understand why this genetic colour aberration happens so rarely, but the unusual animal was never seen again after the initial encounter in 2013. The camera trap tracking project was restarted last year, but Ceclia Cronemberger de Faria, an environmental analyst for Serra dos rgos National Park, told National Geographic. This animal, as well as any other odd-colored pumas, has yet to be discovered.
Albinism, melanism, and leucism affect wild animals in a variety of ways, and they face a variety of challenges. They are particularly vulnerable in the presence of predators, and their communities sometimes reject them.
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