Rare Albino Looking Animal Spotted in New York Garden

What is that strange albino-looking animal? It was spotted in a backyard garden in Constableville, New York.

Seeing an albino animals is rare. How rare? Some say it happens only once in every hundred thousand births. Others claim it is even rarer—one in a million.

How does it happen? They are born with cells that are unable to produce melanin, a dark pigment that results in normal coloration in the skin, scales, eyes or hair.

Harold Haig Jr. saw one of these rare animals by his garden on June 6 around 2 PM. An animal he believes was a groundhog. "I've never saw an albino before."

Leucistic vs Albino

The groundhog may be leucistic rather than albino.

Leucism is the lack of color pigmentation, resulting in a white coat. Although it's similar to albino, leucistic animals have black color pigmentation in the eyes, instead of red-eyed albino mutation.

The groundhog looks to have black eyes, not red.

READ MORE: See World's Largest Herd of White Tailed Deer in New York

Leucistic Joey at NY Park

The Animal Adventure Parkin Harpursville, New York is home to an extremely rare kangaroo.

Rosie, a red kangaroo, gave birth to what park officials are calling a leucistic male joey and it may be the only one of its kind in the country. "We are not aware of any leucistic red kangaroo in the United States; proving just how rare this occurrence is," park officials said.

READ MORE: Red Kangaroo Gives Birth to Extremely Rare White Joey at Animal Adventure Park