Rare albino green turtle spotted on the Great Barrier Reef
11 March 2021
Image credit: Jessica Buckman
The rare albino green turtle is “one in 1,000” and lucky to have been spotted.
Earlier this week, an albino turtle was spotted on Lady Elliot Island by Jessica Buckman of the Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort.
“Still having ‘wow’ moments over my little albino friend,” Jessica wrote on Instagram. “Camouflaged nicely into the white sandy beach as it ran to the waters edge.”
The Lady Elliot Eco Resort says the cause of the colouration is a lack of melanin in the turtle hatchlings system.
“Albino turtle hatchlings are seen from time to time but it is extremely rare to see an adult albino turtle.
“Current estimates of survivorship of hatchlings maturing to adulthood are about one in 1,000.
“Unfortunately, the success rate of this little one is also further reduced due to low sight and the inability to camouflage.”
