Published : 2025-05-25
On May 25, 2019, China's Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Administration released the world's first photo of a white giant panda.
Earlier, the authorities had set up a field infrared trigger camera at an altitude of around 2,000 metres in the reserve.
In mid-April, images of a white giant panda were captured, and its unique morphological features were clearly visible in the photos.
The panda had entirely white hair and even white paws, with red eyes being the only non-white part of its body. It was crossing a piece of primitive broad-leaf forest when it was captured by the camera.
Experts analysed the external features in the photograph and concluded that the image shows an "albino" giant panda, estimated to be around 1 to 2 years old.
According to the experts, although albinism is widely present among various vertebrate groups, it is quite rare.
It is usually caused by genetic mutations which result in the inability of the animal's body to synthesize melanin properly, thereby manifesting as white, yellow-white, or light yellow appearance.
Pure albinism mutations do not affect the animal's normal body structure and physiological functions.
Generally, it has no significant impact on the animal's activities and reproduction, except that it may make the animal more easily detectable in the environment and more sensitive to direct sunlight.
The panda photographed in Wolong indicates the presence of an albinism mutation gene within the panda population in Wolong's panda area.
When this albino panda breeds with a normal wild panda not carrying the mutation gene, the first-generation panda cubs will still appear in the ordinary black-and-white colour but will carry an albinism mutation gene.
If two pandas carrying this mutation gene mate again, it is possible for their offspring to possess two mutant genes, thereby giving birth to an albino panda cub.
Whether the albinism mutation gene will continue to spread within the giant panda population in Wolong in the future? It will require continuous field monitoring and observations by the reserve.
