Despite the lack of precise statistics on the incidence of albinism in sea turtles, it is recognized that hatchlings with this syndrome are extremely rare.
In a particularly rare event today, the extraordinary marvel of the vast ocean world, an exceptionally rare albino sea turtle named Blanche was born at the “Let’s Get Cracking” Hatchery on the beach of Six Senses Con Dao Resort – a place where the natural environment is preserved, maintained, adhered to, and protected thoroughly.
Blanche is a Chelonia Mydas, commonly known as a green sea turtle, born with hypopigmentation syndrome, a rare genetic mutation that causes a reduction in the pigment of Blanche’s skin and shell (the pigment determines the color of skin, hair, and eyes in humans and animals). While there are no exact statistics on the incidence of albinism in sea turtles, it is acknowledged that hatchlings with this condition are extremely rare; some marine biologists estimate the occurrence rate to be one in hundreds of thousands of sea turtle eggs that hatch.
Albino turtle born in Con Dao.
Even under the most favorable conditions, hatchling sea turtles face countless challenges until they reach maturity. After hatching, the hatchlings must cross the beach to reach the ocean, avoiding crabs and birds, before continuing to navigate through numerous fish and marine wildlife to avoid becoming prey. Moreover, one of the greatest risks to sea turtle populations globally today is the threat from humans, arising from poaching, pollution, fishing activities, and the destruction of natural habitats for turtles.
As a rare and beautiful hatchling, Six Senses Con Dao hopes that Blanche will overcome all challenges to reach the ocean and live a long and happy journey.
Blanche not only faces the mountains of challenges mentioned above but also the difficulties arising from limited natural camouflage due to hypopigmentation, which makes Blanche white and easily detectable by predators, especially in the water. Albino hatchlings often experience various deformities, and in Blanche’s case, this includes poor eyesight.
