White is certainly a color that stands out. And because of that fact, it’s somewhat uncommon to see white animals out in nature. However, as you’ll see in a moment, the white creatures you do happen upon will almost certainly be unforgettable!
Here are some of nature’s most beautiful animals with white coloration:
1. Beluga Whale
- Latin name: Delphinapterus leucas
- Habitat: Mostly coastal parts of the Arctic Ocean
- Size: Males about 11′-18′ long; females about 9.8′-13.5′ long
- Diet: Various species of fish, shrimp, squid, snails, and other marine life
- Colorful feature: The beluga whale is the only whale or dolphin to have a truly white color. Its entire body is whitish-gray to pure white, although calves are usually darker gray at birth.
Though “beluga” is the most common name for this species, it is also recognized as the “white whale.” Another less commonly used name is the “sea canary,” given because the whale communicates using very high-pitched, song-like calls. Some people even call it the “melonhead,” but that name more properly refers to the melon-headed whale.
2. Silkie Chicken
- Latin name: Gallus gallus domesticus
- Habitat: Domestic
- Size: Females about 1.5-2 lb; males about 2-3 lb
- Diet: Domestic poultry feed, plant matter, and various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Silkie chickens come in all manner of colors, though white birds are especially common. They are somewhat unusual in that their skin, beaks, and legs are all black to blue-black.
The Silkie is a truly special breed of chicken! It’s incredibly amicable and loves people, so it makes an excellent pet. Its unique feathers have a soft, silk-like feel. The Silkie is also useful to those who raise other breeds of chicken. Since Silkie hens are quite broody, they can hatch and care for the chicks of other species as well.
3. Camargue Horse
- Latin name: Equus ferus caballus
- Habitat: Marshes and wetlands in the Camargue region of France
- Size: About 53″-60″ tall at the withers
- Diet: Various types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: This distinctive, ancient breed is born with a dark brown to black coat. As the horses age, they have more and more white intermingled with the coat. This continues until they appear almost completely white.
The Camargue horse has lived in the Camargue region for hundreds (and maybe even thousands) of years. It has developed impressive strength and agility, so it also makes a good riding horse. The herds today live in semi-feral conditions, and they are registered in a stud book to help preserve the breed’s integrity.
4. Mountain Goat
- Latin name: Oreamnos americanus
- Habitat: Mountainous areas in western North America
- Size: Up to about 3.3′ tall at withers
- Diet: Various types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: These unusual animals have dense white coats that often appear fluffy. Males and females have mostly upright, pointed black horns.
Despite its name, the mountain goat is not considered to be a true goat: it is not a member of the Capra genus. Its closest relatives are takins (animals that look like a mix of a wildebeest and a goat) and chamois (animals that look like a mix of an antelope and a goat).
5. Snowy Owl
- Latin name: Bubo scandiacus
- Habitat: Can be found across much of the Arctic regions
- Size: Females about 21″-28″ long; males about 20.7″-25.2″ long
- Diet: Largely lemmings, though they eat various types of birds and other available prey as well
- Colorful feature: The snowy owl has striking snowy white plumage with small, scallop-like black markings. Its intense yellow eyes particularly stand out!
This unique bird is among the largest owls in the world. And while it may not be the absolute largest, it is the only primarily white owl species. Unfortunately, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently classifies it as a species that is vulnerable to extinction.
6. Giant Gourami
- Latin name: Osphronemus goramy
- Habitat: Native to swamps, marshes, streams, lakes, and rivers in Southeast Asia, though it is common in the aquarium trade
- Size: Often about 18″ long, though they can grow to 28″ long
- Diet: Mostly algae and similar plant foods, though they will also eat small aquatic animals
- Colorful feature: The giant gourami isn’t always white. However, silvery white and albino individuals are especially striking. Their scales usually have a pearly sheen!
Thanks to its beauty and impressive size, the giant gourami is a fish that tends to be somewhat popular in the aquarium trade. However, if it’s kept with other species, it’s critical that they are similarly large. Gouramis can be aggressive and may attack or kill smaller fish.
7. Harp Seal
- Latin name: Pagophilus groenlandicus
- Habitat: Can be found along the Arctic Ocean and the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean
- Size: About 5’7″-6’7″ long
- Diet: Various types of fish and invertebrates
- Colorful feature: Harp seals are darker in color as adults. However, seal pups have white coats. The coats stay bright white until the seal pup molts in about 2-3 weeks.
Though it’s not in any danger of extinction, the harp seal is widely hunted. Inuit living within its range hunt it for subsistence, but it also is commercially hunted. Commercial hunting mostly happens in Norway, Greenland, Russia, and Canada.
8. Leucistic Texas Rat Snake
- Latin name: Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri
- Habitat: Can be found across most of Texas, but it also extends into Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma
- Size: About 4′-5′ long
- Diet: Mostly birds and rodents, though they also eat frogs, lizards, and some types of insects
- Colorful feature: Wild-type Texas rat snakes are dark and patterned. But as you can see in the photo, leucistic variants have creamy white coloring and crystal blue eyes.
The Texas rat snake has a few interesting color mutations that occur naturally. High orange, hypomelanistic, albino, and leucistic snakes occur. The leucistic ones have become somewhat popular pets, though they can secrete a horrible-smelling musk if disturbed.
9. Pine White Butterfly
- Latin name: Neophasia menapia
- Habitat: Can be found in forests of mostly pine and Douglas fir in the coastal parts of northern California
- Size: Wingspan about 1.7″-2″
- Diet: Nectar from a few species of flowers
- Colorful feature: Like many species of white butterfly, the pine white is a soft off-white. Its wings are marked with distinctive black veins and bands. Both males and females look alike.
Unless you’re a butterfly expert, you may have some trouble telling this butterfly apart from closely related species. It looks quite similar to other members of its genus. Even more confusingly, some of these species have overlapping ranges!
10. White Persian Cat
- Latin name: Felis catus
- Habitat: Domestic
- Size: About 7-13 lb
- Diet: Domestic cat food
- Colorful feature: Persian cats come in an impressive range of colors. However, one of the oldest is the pure white. White Persians often have stunning green to yellow eyes.
Did you know there are two main types of Persian cat? The older type is called the “traditional” or “doll face” Persian. It has facial features similar to those of other cats. The newer type is “Peke-faced,” so it has a face that is essentially flat. Even though this type of face causes respiratory issues, some cat associations have made it part of the Persian breed standard.
11. Polar Bear
- Latin name: Ursus maritimus
- Habitat: Can be found throughout much of the Arctic Circle
- Size: Males about 770-1,540 lb; females about 380-770 lb
- Diet: Primarily seals, though it also may eat eggs or smaller animals
- Colorful feature: Except for their black noses, polar bears are entirely a rich, snowy white. As you likely guessed, this coloration helps them camouflage in their Arctic habitat.
The massive polar bear is the apex predator of the Arctic. However, on occasion, an orca will spot a swimming polar bear and attack it. Polar bears do sometimes take extended swims; the longest recorded one was 220 miles!
12. Blanc de Hotot Rabbit
- Latin name: Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus
- Habitat: Domestic
- Size: Males about 8-10 pounds; females about 9-11 pounds
- Diet: Various types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: This rabbit has a soft, bright white coat. However, it is set apart from other white rabbits thanks to its eyeliner-lined black rings around the eyes.
This cute rabbit breed is recognized by both the American Rabbit Breeders Association and the British Rabbit Council. However, the American Livestock Conservancy considers the breed to be threatened. It was initially developed in France as a rabbit suitable for both fur production and meat. However, it was also bred for its very distinctive coloration.
13. Albino Alligator
- Latin name: Alligator sp.
- Habitat: Can be found in freshwater and brackish water ecosystems in the southeastern United States, parts of Mexico, and China
- Size: Usually around 7′-14′ long, depending on species
- Diet: Various types of aquatic and land prey, including worms, turtles, muskrats, deer, birds, and other reptiles
- Colorful feature: Most alligators are a dark greenish-brown. But occasionally, you may see an all-white albino gator. Unfortunately, most albino alligators don’t live for long in the wild, as their bright coloration makes it hard for them to camouflage.
The name “alligator” is an unusual one, and experts believe it may be an anglicized form of a Spanish term. Spanish settlers and explorers called the alligator “el lagarto,” meaning “the lizard.”
14. Woolly Aphid
- Latin name: Eriosomatinae family
- Habitat: Can be found across much of the Northern Hemisphere
- Size: Around 0.8″ long
- Diet: Sap from various types of plants
- Colorful feature: These odd little bugs, as the name suggests, look as though they’re covered in powder or wool. This “coating” is white wax that forms into filaments, making it look fluffy.
Woolly aphids usually won’t completely destroy a plant, but they can cause damage that looks especially unsightly. They do this by latching onto various parts of the plant and sucking out sap. In many cases, colonies of these bugs just make the affected foliage on trees and other plants look brownish. But in some cases, infested trees may be predisposed to fungal infections.
15. White Tern
- Latin name: Gygis alba
- Habitat: Can be found along the coasts of tropical oceans across the world
- Size: About 11″-13″
- Diet: Mostly small fish
- Colorful feature: This striking tern has a slender, all-white body. Its beak is a beautiful and distinctive blue-black. Even very young birds appear white and fluffy and still have the same dark-colored beak.
This magical-looking bird is sometimes called the “fairy tern,” though it also may be called the “angel tern,” the “White noddy,” or the “manu-o-Kū.” In 2007, it was named the official bird of Honolulu, Hawaii.
16. Dumbo Rat
- Latin name: Rattus norvegicus domestica
- Habitat: Domestic
- Size: About 17″-18″ long
- Diet: Various types of fruits, vegetables, and meats
- Colorful feature: The Dumbo rat comes in a whole range of colors. Many of these are white, and some have distinctive pink eyes.
This easygoing rat is the most commonly kept species of rat. You can find it used as a lab rat and kept as a pet. The Dumbo rat has been bred in many colors and coat types. Like some other animals, it can be found with a “rexed” coat, or a plush coat that is very soft to the touch.
17. White Tiger
- Latin name: Panthera tigris
- Habitat: Can be found in forested parts of mainland Asia
- Size: About 3′-3.5′ tall at the shoulder
- Diet: Various types of animals, especially pigs, deer, and birds
- Colorful feature: The white tiger isn’t an albino; it’s a tiger with leucism. This genetic condition results in a partial loss of pigment, so much of the body is white, and the eyes are beautiful crystal blue. The stripes are black like those of orange tigers.
The white tiger is sometimes referred to as the “bleached tiger.” Its leucistic gene is a recessive one, so this color most commonly occurs when a population becomes inbred. In captivity, breeders often end up inbreeding white tigers in order to keep producing tigers with the same color.
18. Ivory Gull
- Latin name: Pagophila eburnea
- Habitat: Can be found distributed across the Arctic and surrounding areas
- Size: About 17″ long
- Diet: Largely fish, eggs, small animals, and carrion
- Colorful feature: The lovely ivory gull’s entire body is snowy white. It has sharply contrasting black legs and feet, and its beak is yellowish-gray.
The ivory gull has a special place in the world of children’s literature. Holling C. Holling’s book Seabird features a carving of an ivory gull. The book won the Newbery Medal. Unfortunately, the population of this remarkable bird is in some danger; the IUCN currently classifies it as being “near threatened.” Experts believe that a reduction in sea ice as well as an increase in hunting may be responsible for its population decline.
19. Virginian Tiger Moth
- Latin name: Spilosoma virginica
- Habitat: Can be found in various habitats throughout the United States
- Size: Wingspan about 2″
- Diet: Caterpillars feed on various types of weeds
- Colorful feature: The Virginian tiger moth, despite the name, doesn’t look tiger-like at all. Its wings are a delicate, snowy white, and they often have very few dark brown spots. The upper body appears to be covered in a ruff of white fuzz.
If this moth doesn’t look familiar, you might have seen its caterpillar before. The Virginian tiger moth caterpillar is known as the yellow woolly bear caterpillar. That’s because it’s covered in yellow fuzz. It’s generally not a good idea to handle caterpillars or adults. The spiny hairs on the caterpillars can cause dermatitis, while the adults produce a substance that causes an allergic reaction in some people.
20. Japanese Rice Fish
- Latin name: Oryzias latipes
- Habitat: Can be found in brackish and freshwater environments in East Asia
- Size: Up to about 1.4″ long
- Diet: Mostly small plankton and young mosquitos
- Colorful feature: This fish species comes in a few different colors. In the wild, it can be cream-colored, bright white, or yellowish. In captivity, you may sometimes see yellow or orange individuals, too.
This unique little fish is often known as the medaka. It’s a hardy fish that doesn’t take up much aquarium space, so it’s somewhat popular as an aquarium pet. In some areas, you may be able to find genetically-engineered individuals that are bright green, red, or yellow. However, these transgenic fish cannot legally be sold in the EU.
21. Arctic Wolf
- Latin name: Canis lupus arctos
- Habitat: Can be found in much of the High Arctic tundra in Canada
- Size: About 25″-31″ high at shoulder
- Diet: Mostly Arctic hares and muskoxen
- Colorful feature: Unlike most wolf species, the Arctic wolf is completely white. This coloration makes it easier for them to camouflage in their snowy habitat.
In some parts of its range, the Arctic wolf is not afraid of people, probably because it rarely sees humans. However, since there are some documented cases of this wolf being aggressive to humans, it’s not a great idea to approach it!
22. White Park Cattle
- Latin name: Bos taurus
- Habitat: Domestic
- Size: Bulls about 1,800-2,200 lb; cows about 1,100-1,500 lb
- Diet: Various types of grasses and other plant matter
- Colorful feature: The White Park breed is colored much differently than most types of cattle. Its base color is a soft porcelain white. But unlike many other cattle breeds, it has point coloration, with the points on the body being black or red.
This breed developed in Great Britain, where it is currently most common. Historically, it has been extremely useful, as it was bred and kept for milk, meat, and draught use. In the UK, a breeding program has been established to ensure the future of the White Park.
23. Salt Marsh Moth
- Latin name: Estigmene acrea
- Habitat: Can be found in parts of North America, parts of Africa, Colombia, and Mexico
- Size: Wingspan about 1.75″-2.5″
- Diet: Caterpillars feed on a range of plants including dandelions, cotton, tobacco, pea, apple, and walnut
- Colorful feature: This distinctive moth’s outer wings look similar to those of the Virginian tiger moth, as they are white and may have a smattering of dark spots. The abdomen is especially striking, as it is a vivid yellow-orange and has a line of black spots.
Many of the plants this moth feeds on contain toxic alkaloids, but the moth is not harmed by them. Research has indicated that it actually has taste receptors for these alkaloids, and it can even turn them into sex hormones.
24. Cattle Egret
- Latin name: Bubulcus ibis
- Habitat: Can be found in habitats near livestock in much of the world, though it is native to parts of Portugal, Spain, and Africa
- Size: About 18″-22″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects, spiders, and small animals, though they will occasionally eat figs
- Colorful feature: During most of the year, adult cattle egrets are primarily white. During the breeding season, males and females develop plumes of buff feathers.
Most people associate egrets with marshy areas, but the cattle egret is uniquely adapted to feeding on land. Wetland egrets have the ability to visually correct for water’s light refraction when feeding. But since cattle egrets have evolved to feed on land, they have lost this ability.
25. Koi Fish
- Latin name: Cyprinus rubrofuscus
- Habitat: Domestic; can be found in decorative ponds and gardens
- Size: Usually about 20″-24″ long
- Diet: Commercial fish food, though they can also eat watermelon, peas, and lettuce
- Colorful feature: Koi come in an impressive range of colors. Many of the more common varieties have pearly white base coloration and spots of black, orange, or both. However, some are pure white!
The koi fish is an effectively domesticated version of the Amur carp. Pure white individuals are especially beautiful, but they’re at risk of predation in outdoor ponds. Predators, including herons and domestic cats, can see them easily against the dark water. In some cases, pond owners elect to place nets over ornamental ponds to protect the fish.
26. Delicate Cycnia Moth
- Latin name: Cycnia tenera
- Habitat: Can be found throughout much of North America
- Size: Wingspan about 1.2″-1.6″
- Diet: Mostly dogbane and milkweed plants
- Colorful feature: This lovely moth has delicate, shimmering white wings. Its head and the outer edges of its wings are a soft yellow.
This beautiful moth is also sometimes called the “dogbane tiger moth,” as it often feeds on dogbane. Unlike most moth species, it’s capable of producing ultrasonic clicks. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why the moths do this, but it may be in order to disrupt the echolocation signals of feeding bats.
27. Snowy Egret
- Latin name: Egretta thula
- Habitat: Native to coastal areas of the eastern United States as well as parts of Central America and South America
- Size: About 22″-26″ long
- Diet: Primarily fish, crustaceans, insects, worms, and smaller reptiles
- Colorful feature: This small, delicate bird has eye-catching coloring even when compared to other egrets. Its entire body is bright white. However, its legs and beak are black. Its feet are bright yellow, and the upper part of its beak is yellow, too.
Though the snowy egret is not considered to be threatened or at risk for extinction, its populations reached dangerously low levels in the early 1900s. Its feathers were incredibly popular in hatmaking, so it was extensively hunted for its plumes. In 1910, the trade of its feathers was banned. Eventually, Central America and South America followed suit, and the population gradually rebounded.
28. Silverleaf Whitefly
- Latin name: Bemisia tabaci
- Habitat: Likely originated in India, but can be found throughout the world in subtropical, tropical, and sometimes temperate climates
- Size: Up to about 0.04″ long
- Diet: Can feed successfully on over 500 plant species, many of which are important crops
- Colorful feature: This tiny fly usually has a buttery yellow body. Its wings are a papery white. However, it is so small that these features can be hard to see with the naked eye.
This small, delicate bug is actually capable of doing a whole lot of damage. For example, within five years of its introduction to Texas and California, it has caused more than $100 million in crop damage.
29. Dogo Argentino
- Latin name: Canis familiaris
- Habitat: Domestic
- Size: About 24″-27″ tall at the withers
- Diet: Domestic dog food
- Colorful feature: This remarkable dog has a short, bright white coat. Many individuals have a few black spots on the skin. According to breed standard, black marking on the coat is considered a fault.
The Dogo Argentino is a remarkable-looking dog bred primarily for the hunting of wild boar. However, it also has been bred to be loyal to its owner and protective if necessary. While its white coloration is beautiful, it is genetically linked to deafness. It’s possible that up to 10% of all Dogos Argentinos are deaf in one or both ears.
30. Bristlenose Pleco
- Latin name: Ancistrus sp.
- Habitat: Can be found in freshwater habitats in Panama and South America
- Size: Females up to about 4.7″; males up to about 6″
- Diet: Algae and other types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: The term “bristlenose pleco” covers several species of fish, most of which have some kind of dark and light patterning. But albino individuals are common aquarium pets. These fish have a beautiful, stark white appearance, though some of them have a touch of cream coloration.
These fish are especially useful aquarium pets. They feed on algae and can help keep your aquarium clean. They are easy to breed and can live up to 12 years in captivity!
31. Siberian Hamster
- Latin name: Phodopus sungorus
- Habitat: Originally from fields and tree stands in Kazakhstan, Siberia, and Manchuria
- Size: About 3″-4″ long
- Diet: Mostly grains, seeds, and other kinds of vegetation
- Colorful feature: This hamster’s coat color can vary a good bit. But as you can see in the photo, some have beautiful, plush white coats.
This hamster is sometimes called the “winter white dwarf hamster” or the “Russian dwarf hamster.” It’s a fairly popular pet in Japan, Europe, and North America, and it’s easy to keep in captivity. However, it is unfortunately prone to developing tumors, and its sensitive cheek pouch can be easily damaged by sharp objects.
32. Arctic Hare
- Latin name: Lepus arcticus
- Habitat: Can be found across the Arctic tundra and nearby areas
- Size: About 17″-28″ long
- Diet: Mostly woody plants
- Colorful feature: Some populations of Arctic hares keep their brilliant white coats all year round. But in areas with longer summers, the hares will turn brown in the warmer months and white in the colder months.
Though the Arctic hare is an herbivore, it will very occasionally eat animal matter. It’s been observed feeding on fish and carrion. Since it lives in such frozen areas, it eats snow in order to get water. Since there isn’t much food available in its habitat, it has evolved to have a low metabolic rate that allows it to conserve energy.
33. Margined White Butterfly
- Latin name: Pieris marginalis
- Habitat: Can be found along the coast of western North America
- Size: Wingspan about 1.5″-2.2″
- Diet: Caterpillars feed on mustard greens and adults drink the plant’s nectar
- Colorful feature: This pretty white butterfly has wings that are pure white to slightly yellowish white. Its body is dark, sooty black, and the dark color often appears to smudge onto the wings. The undersides of the wings feature dark black veining.
Like many North American butterfly species, this one is quite adaptable when it comes to habitat. It can be spotted flying and feeding from the early months of the year through August.
34. White-Tailed Ptarmigan
- Latin name: Lagopus leucura
- Habitat: Can be found in much of Alaska and mountainous parts of Canada and the western United States
- Size: About 11.8″-12.2″ long
- Diet: Various leaves, flowers, lichens, berries, buds, and seeds
- Colorful feature: In summer, the white-tailed ptarmigan has mottled brownish plumage that helps it blend into its surroundings. But in winter, it turns completely white so it can blend into the snow.
This beautiful bird has several unique adaptations to help it survive in bitterly cold temperatures. Its feet are feathered to protect it from the cold. It even has feathering around the nostrils in order to warm up the air before it breathes it in.
35. Ermine
- Latin name: Mustela erminea
- Habitat: Exact habitat depends on subspecies; can be found in much of Eurasia and northern North America
- Size: About 6.7″-12.8″ long
- Diet: Mostly various rodents and lagomorphs, even those larger than itself
- Colorful feature: This unusual animal is one of many creatures on the list whose summer coloration is different from its winter coloration. In the winter, its coat becomes short, silky, and brilliant white.
The coat of the ermine (especially the winter coat) has long been used in the fur trade. In Europe in particular, ermine furs are connected to high status. They are often used to trim ceremonial robes.
36. Blackspotted Puffer
- Latin name: Arothron nigropunctatus
- Habitat: Can be found in tropical waters in the Indo-Pacific, except for the Red Sea
- Size: Up to about 1′ long
- Diet: Mostly various invertebrates, including coral, sponges, and crustaceans
- Colorful feature: This fish comes in a range of colors. Many, like the one in the picture, are mostly white and marked with irregular dark patches.
This cute fish contains tetrodotoxin, a deadly poison that helps to protect it from predators. But it has another adaptation to protect itself, too. Like other pufferfish, it can inflate itself with air or water to intimidate potential predators.
37. Bleached Earless Lizard
- Latin name: Holbrookia maculata ruthveni
- Habitat: Can be found in White Sands National Park in New Mexico
- Size: About 4″-5″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects and spiders
- Colorful feature: This highly unusual lizard’s coloration is no accident. Since it lives in White Sands National Park, it evolved to be extremely pale in color in order to camouflage. As you can see in the photo, it’s a shade of white close to that of bleached bone.
This lizard’s unusually white habitat consists of sand made of gypsum crystals. The field of white dunes in and around the park extends over 275 square miles. The sand itself is up to 30 feet deep!
38. White Fallow Deer
- Latin name: Dama sp.
- Habitat: Can be found across much of Europe and the Middle East, though exact habitat depends on species
- Size: About 31″-43″ tall at shoulder
- Diet: Various types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: Like other species of deer, fallow deer sometimes see albino individuals. These striking deer are bright white to creamy white, though their antlers are still tan or light brown.
This deer’s name refers to its typically light brown color. However, in Serbia and Croatia, its name translates to “shovel deer” thanks to the odd shape of its antlers.
39. Leucistic Peacock
- Latin name: Pavo cristatus
- Habitat: Native to much of the Indian subcontinent
- Size: About 39″-89″ long
- Diet: Various insects, seeds, fruit, and small animals
- Colorful feature: Peafowl are beautiful in their wild-type coloring, but leucistic variants are especially unique: their feathers are entirely snowy white, and they have bright blue eyes.
Peafowl are native to India, but their beauty has made them a popular ornamental bird across much of the world. Though the leucistic variant is present in nature, it also is deliberately bred in captivity.
40. Oscar Fish
- Latin name: Astronotus ocellatus
- Habitat: Native to much of tropical South America
- Size: Up to about 18″ long
- Diet: Mostly smaller fish, smaller aquatic animals, plant matter, and even fruits and nuts
- Colorful feature: This fish comes in a wide range of colors. However, some oscars are pure white! You can find both albino and leucistic variants.
This fish is beautiful and popular in the aquarium hobby. However, it tends to be very aggressive toward other fish. Often, it will claim a portion of the aquarium and then attack fish that come too close to it.
41. White Yak
- Latin name: Bos grunniens
- Habitat: Domestic; found throughout the Himalayan region and surrounding areas
- Size: Females about 496-562 lb; males about 772-1,290 lb
- Diet: Various types of grass and other plant matter
- Colorful feature: Yaks come in a few different colors. But as you can see in the photo, you’ll sometimes see one whose silky, flowing coat is white!
Yaks are extremely well adapted to cold environments, making them great working animals in snowy mountains. Their hearts and lungs are larger than those of regular cattle, and they are much better equipped to transport oxygen in the blood. They have almost no working sweat glands and a very thick layer of subcutaneous fat, too.
42. Arctic Fox
- Latin name: Vulpes lagopus
- Habitat: Can be found across much of the Arctic tundra
- Size: About 18″-27″ long
- Diet: Various small animals, though it also eats berries, seaweed, and insects
- Colorful feature: This pretty fox tends to turn chocolate brown in the summer. In snowy winters, it grows a thick, fluffy white coat that lets it camouflage in the snow.
The Arctic fox is easily one of the most famous Arctic animals. Its compact body and small ears make it look almost catlike. When at rest, it wraps its tail around its face and tucks its legs under its body to conserve body heat.
White Creatures From Around the World
Some of the white animals above evolved to camouflage in snowy (or sandy) habitats. Others came about due to genetic mutations. And for some, the origin of their brilliant white color remains a mystery. Hopefully, all of them have brightened your day!
Explore beautiful creatures of all colors and types in this list of colorful animals.
