At the tip of April 2017, the world of protection was shocked by a particularly rare discovery. The female orangutan with pure white fur was found weak and associated within the village of Tanggirang, Kapuas Regency, and central Kalimantan.
It was not an unusual orangutan, he was a genetic person almost never seen within the wild: Albinism.
The unique orangutan was later named Albawhich implies “white” in Latin. From that moment, Alba became the topic of international attention as the primary scientifically registered albino orangutan.
Her presence not only symbolizes the incredible biological diversity of calimantan, but in addition reminds us of the susceptibility of animals with such special conditions within the wild.
Meet the rare fantastic thing about Borneo
Alba belongs to the species of orangutan bornean (Pondgo pygmaeus), one in every of the three existing species of orangutan, next to the sumatranic orangutan (I put Abelia) and tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis).
All three species live only in Indonesia and are currently classified as Critically threatened On the red list IUCN.
When Alba was discovered, her condition was deeply disturbing. She was dehydrated, affected by a parasitic infection, physically weak and showing signs of strong stress.
It is estimated that he’s about five years old. Fortunately, the social report quickly reached the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation, which then saved Alby and brought her to Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Center.
After almost two years of intensive care, Alba was finally released back to the wild in December 2018 within the Bukit Bakit Bukit Ray National Park, a protected area considered protected and suitable for its survival.
Unique physical features of Alby
Compared to most orangutans, the looks of Alby is strikingly different. Her fur ranges from cream white to blonde, as an alternative of a typical reddish brown Bornean Orangutan.
Her skin is pale with a reddish shade, standing unlike the same old dark gray skin of its species. Her eyes are light blue as a result of the dearth of pigment within the iris.
But with this beauty is the challenge: Alba suffers from photophobia, extreme sensitivity to light. These characteristic features make each stunningly unique and more fragile when it lives freely within the wild.
Why Alba was born Albino
Albinism is a genetic state attributable to mutations within the genes liable for the production of melanin, pigment that offers color to hair, skin and eyes. When the production of melanin is drastically reduced or completely absent, there’s albinism.
This condition is recessiveWhich implies that the unit must inherit two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to specific the feature of Albinos. In other words, although Alba’s parents weren’t Albinos, they were probably each the gene carriers.
This phenomenon is amazingly rare, however it will not be unique to orangutans. Cases of albinism have also been recorded in other animals, resembling gorillas, dolphins and even a snail.
Life will not be easy for Alba
In the case of albino animals, resembling Alba, survival within the wild will not be easy. Without melanin, to guard it, Alba skin and eyes are very at risk of exposure to sunlight. It is at risk of sunburn and faces an increased risk of developing skin cancer.
Vision problems are one other serious challenge. Photophobia (sensitivity to light) and poor visual acuity makes it difficult to maneuver across the forest cover, find food and maintain vigilance to potential predators.
In addition, the white color of Alba robs her of natural camouflage, which often consists of orangutans. While other orangutans can mix in with the forest, Alba stands out, making it more visible not only to predators, but in addition individuals who can pose a threat.
BOS Foundation reports also note that Alba is often shy and fewer energetic in comparison with other orangutans on the Rehabilitation Center, probably as a result of its impairment.
Journey back to the jungle
Despite many challenges, the choice to release Alba back into the wild was taken with accurate consideration. Bakit Bakit Raya National Park has been chosen since it offers lots of food sources, low poaching levels and strict monitoring.
To track it, Alba was equipped with a GPS collar, enabling protection teams to make sure its safety.
A 12 months after her return to her natural habitat, excellent news got here: Alba successfully adapted. She was seen visiting the forest with agility, skillfully feeding, constructing her own nests, and even socially with other orangutans. One of essentially the most memorable moments was a gathering with Una, a companion of her days on the Rehabilitation Center.
Alba: Lighthouse of hope
The story of Alba is each a miracle and a reminder. He proves that even animals born in rare conditions and significant challenges deserve the best to free life of their natural environment.
But her story also emphasizes the sobering reality: Bornean Orangutanie stays critically threatened. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), they’ve lost over 55% of their natural habitats over the past 20 years, mainly as a result of the exacerbation of palm oil plantation, illegal wood, extraction and forest fires.
The Orangutan Foundation warns that if current trends are continued, as much as 80% of orangutan habitats can disappear by 2080.
In addition to the lack of habitats, orangutans face the threats related to hunting, illegal trafficking in wild nature and the conflict of human Irona. Alba could receive a second probability, but countless other orangutans are usually not so completely happy.
