Mob of rare white kangaroos spotted on Australia reserve, photos show. ‘Like ghosts’

A group of rare kangaroos dominated the landscape as they hopped among the tall brown brush of a nature reserve in Australia, their unusual and vibrant coloring commanding attention.

The mob of white and albino kangaroos was spotted at Panorama Garden Estate on March 5, the reserve said in a Facebook post. Photos showed nine white kangaroos and three gray ones.

Some of the kangaroos stared directly at the camera, perhaps curious about the photographer. Others continued munching at the grass, their upper bodies bent down.

“They look like ghosts,” one Facebook user commented.

Close up photos showed four larger and two smaller white kangaroos.

“Wow, don’t see this every day!” another user commented.

Although they might not be seen every day, the sight of numerous white-coated kangaroos is much more common at Panorama Garden Estate than elsewhere. The mob of rare kangaroos lives at and is regularly seen on the estate.

One of the park’s owners, Annemaree Van Rooy, told Daily Mail Australia that the group of rare animals began in 2012 when three white kangaroos were rescued from a farm. Further breeding has grown the rare mob to nine kangaroos, she told the outlet.

Mammalogist Mark Eldridge told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that “white or albino kangaroos occur once every 50,000 to 100,000 animals,” according to a 2017 report.

The white kangaroos’ abnormal appearance can be caused by albinism or leucism, Simon Watharow wrote in a study shared by the Australian Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference. Albinism occurs when the animal lacks pigment in its eyes, skin and hair. Leucism occurs when the animal does not develop pigment in some cells but does have normally pigmented eyes.

In the wild, white kangaroos face numerous challenges from their vibrant coloring, conservation officer Brett McNamara told Guardian Australia in 2013 while discussing a 2-year-old white kangaroo spotted at a national park.

“It’s no mean feat for this kangaroo to make it to two years old without being taken by wild dogs or foxes,” McNamara said. “It’s vulnerable because of its colour but also because it has poor hearing and eyesight, and it will be susceptible to sunburn because of its skin.”

The typical gray coloring of kangaroos helps the animals avoid predators by acting as camouflage, McNamara told The Guardian.

Panorama Garden Estate is privately owned by Van Rooy and Nick Smith, the owners told McClatchy News. In addition to the rare ‘roos, its extensive gardens and reserve area are home to wallabies, alpacas, cows, sheep, emus, peacocks, miniature goats and other animals, according to the website.

Panorama Garden Estate is about 50 miles south of Melbourne.

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