Gene-Edited Albino Cane Frogs Explain Why Albinism Is So Rare In Wild Animals

It’s often assumed that albino animals are rare in the wild because their lack of pigment makes them stick out in the natural environment, turning them into easy pickings for hungry predators. However, in a new study, a team of scientists from Macquarie University in Australia found evidence that the story isn’t so simple. There are factors that put albino animals at a disadvantage that go beyond just vulnerability to being eaten. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

The subject of their research was the cane toad ( Rhinella marina ), a native to parts of Latin America that’s since been introduced to Australia and elsewhere, where they’ve spread like wildfire, infuriating locals, wreaking havoc on ecosystems, and causing