A rare albino orangutan was released into the wild in Indonesia on Dec. 20, 2018. more than one year after it was rescued from captivity.
Alba, the world’s only known albino orangutan, was named after the Latin word for “white” and suffers from albinism. The disorder effects the production of the pigment melanin, which determines the colour of skin, hair and eyes, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The orangutan had shown excellent climbing and social skills during her recovery in Nyaru Menteng rehabilitation centre, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) which saved and released the orangutan said in a press release. It has forged a special bond with another female orangutan Kika, that was released into the wild on the same day.
Orangutans, considered critically endangered by the World Wildlife Fund, usually have brown or orange hair and dark eyes. They are native to Indonesia and Malaysia.
