An extremely-rare white penguin has been spotted in the Galapagos Islands. It is believed to be the first in the history of the islands. The bird was filmed earlier this year by guide Jimmy Patino when he was giving a tour to tourists at the Punta Vicente Roca site on Isabela Island. The unusual penguin with white plumage was seen standing next to a lizard nearly double its size.Ā While the bird's species has not been officially confirmed, it is believed to be a Galapagos penguin - or Spheniscus mendiculus, endemic to the archipelago.Ā Rare Albino Penguin Spotted at Poland's Gdansk Zoo (See Pictures)

Galapagos penguins generally have a black head and two white lines going down from their eyes towards their chin. They also have a black stripe on their neck. This penguin's white colour is likely due to a form of leucistic pigmentation, due to which the black colour is missing from its body.Ā Ugly 'Pup'ling! Rare Albino Seal Pup Spotted in Russia Might Get Rejected by Its Community But Internet is All Love! (Watch Pic and Video)

A spokesperson from the Galapagos National Park said it is the first time such an animal has been seen 'in the history' of the archipelago. The person was quoted as saying, "Experts corroborated the guide's version and believe this is a genetic condition known as leucism which produces a partial loss of pigmentation in the plumage while maintaining its normal eye colour which differentiates them from albinos."

Rare White Penguin at the Galapagos Islands:

Experts cannot ascertain by what leucistic pigmentation is caused until the proper testing is carried out. La Isabela has a diverse selection of animals and is the largest of the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos National Park issued a statement about the population of Galapagos penguins last month. There has been an increase in their population which the park believes is due to reduced human activity owing to COVID-19 pandemic.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 28, 2020 11:57 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).