FIRST OF ITS KIND

Scientists Find Ultra-Rare Orange Shark With White Eyes

The light-colored predator was spotted in the Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica.

Scientists have documented a first-of-its-kind shark with striking orange skin and ghostly white eyes, a discovery they say is the result of two exceedingly rare genetic conditions. Researchers quickly photographed the nurse shark before releasing it back into the water. It was spotted in August last year during a fishing trip in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica, and described this month in the journal Marine Biodiversity. The predator is believed to have xanthism, which reduces darker pigmentation and enhances orange and yellow tones. On top of that, scientists noted evidence of albinism, a condition that limits melanin production and left the shark with pasty white eyes and “no visible irises.” “This is the first and only time an orange shark has ever been recorded,” the report said. The unusual combination made the animal look more like an oversized koi fish than a typical nurse shark, which generally has sandy-brown skin and dark eyes. Scientists also floated possible environmental influences on its hue, including inbreeding, stress, or hormonal changes.