December 10th, 2015: White Fur

[xoxoxoBruce]

White furred critters are in the minority just because they are too easy to spot by hungry predators. Very tough to hide in natures greens and browns, except the Ptarmigan and bunnies that hang out on snow. Of course the Polar Bears, White Tigers, and Spirit Bears are up near the top of the food chain so white won't get them eaten, but makes it harder for them to eat.

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Then there are albinos that crop up in all the species. Through genetic defects albinos fail to produce coloration, which is why their eyes, nose, lips, look pink. They have the same problems as naturally white furred critters, plus the Sun will overheat their bodies, burn their skin, and blind them.

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Lastly there's another genetic defect called Leucism. This causes partial loss of color so the fur is white, pale, or patchy, but the eyes, nose, mouth is normal. I hadn't heard of Leucism, I was always interested in the coloration of calves and colts compared to their parents, but thought it was just the way nature mixed up parts of the coding from each parent, and it was a crap shoot. I didn't know many of the two-tones came from Leucism.

I guess I wasn't that far off, it's nature's crap shoot, just some smart guy/gal figured out the hows/whys, and put a label on it.
But white mice are an abomination and must die.