Which are bright red and yellow and sometimes have an irregular pattern all over them? No, they are not cartoon or video game characters, they are albino turtles. They are large, medium-sized and very beautiful animals that you just have to see to believe.

The red and yellow turtles of Albipo

Some might say they look like some sort of mythical magical creature. Others will remember Koopa Paratroopas from the Mario Brothers video games, or perhaps a scenic combination of Harizard and Squirtle from Pokémon.

Regardless of what you first thought, we can assure you that these are real, real, living animals. Although we refer to them as albiпo turtles, the more accurate term would be amelaпistic turtles, because it is the melaпiп pigment that they are most. (1)

Αmelaпism vs Αlbiпism

Albiism is a type of pigmentation in the eyes, skin, and sometimes hair. It can happen in humans and other mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibians. lbism is characterized by a completely white appearance and red eyes. (2)

Melaпism is the complete set of pigmeпts or melaпiп. This situation occurs in fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The pigment will usually still be present, so amelistic animals may have yellow or red markings. His eyes will also be red. (1)

Technically, albiism is a form of amelaism. (1)

What is Melaпiп?

Melapiп is the compound responsible for the color of the skin, hair, feathers, scales and eyes. It plays an important role in protecting humans and animals from surface UV rays. Without it, these rays can much more easily damage the DNA of cells and cause diseases such as cancer. (1)

Melaism is much more common in reptiles, such as turtles, than albiism, however, it is still extremely serious. (1)

lbism or amelaism will present differently depending on the structure of the turtle. For example, sulcata tortoises are more likely to have albiism, although they still won’t be 100% white. (3) Melaistic painted wood turtles are more likely to have the beautiful flame-like pattern mentioned above. (4)

Therefore, as small as these animals are, their small appearance means they probably won’t last a lifetime. Not only are they more susceptible to illness and disease, but they are also easily detected by writers. Like humans with albiism, they also tend to have poor eyesight, which keeps them safe and well fed with an extra meal. (5)

Lastly, if they survive to reproductive age, they are often considered undesirable as a mate and therefore unlikely to reproduce. This is, of course, because they have a higher chance of producing amelistic offspring, which, as we know, is not a benefit to wild animals. (5)

Αlbiпo turtles do not make good pets

These special turtles require much more time, attention and care than other animals. They are best left in bed (despite their low survival rates) or in an animal sanctuary under the care of professionals. They often have other health complications that are almost impossible for a normal person to care for.

An example of this is Hope, the Albipo tortoise, who was born with her heart outside her shell. Under the expert care of her owner Mike, she is not only doing well, but she is thriving. Living up to its name, it spreads messages of hope and love to children and adults around the world experiencing major heart problems, surgeries and trauma. (6)

You can follow Hope and her other aquatic friends on Mike’s Instagram and support them here.