QUESTION:
I noticed that there are albino penguins.  Can penguins have the same
malformations as us, like miscoloring and missing body parts?  If yes,
what would cause those problems?

        
        John M., Third Grade
        Villa Grove Elementary School
        Villa Grove, Illinois


ANSWER from Donna Patterson, Research Assistant, Dr. Fraser's Team
            Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Thu, 20 Mar 1997 14:14:18 -0500

        
Hello John,

Yes, there are penguins with malformations, but we usually do not see 
these live through to the fledgling age (when the chicks are 
independent).  This season, we saw a chick with a "crossed-bill", 
also a few with deformities in their backs.  If a fledgling cannot 
leave the rookery and forage as well as the others, it will most 
likely not live through the winter.   I do not know what would cause 
thes problems, possibly an injury when they are small chicks or 
genetic differences  that are similar to what we see in human 
populations.   Only once I've seen a penguin with half of it's 
flipper missing.  For the most part, an injury such as this would 
decrease the penguin's ability to swim efficiently and forage. 
The albino penguin is not affected physically, she just looks  
lighter than the others and can forage and provision her chicks 
just as well.   She is not a "true" albino (she has dark-colored 
eyes), we call her an isoblene or leucistic, so her eyesight is most 
likely as good as the other black and white penguins.  

Thanks for your question!
Donna Patterson