The key aspects of conservation biology—genetic diversity, population viability, and adaptive management—are all challenged by the presence of albinism. Without proper genetic oversight, a zoo could inadvertently select for albinism, creating a "cute" captive population that is genetically useless for rewilding efforts.
In zoo settings, producing albino animals often requires breeding closely related individuals who both carry the recessive gene. This increases the risk of inbreeding depression This increases the risk of inbreeding depression An
An albino animal (like the famous Gorilla "Snowflake") can become a global icon, drawing millions of visitors and raising massive funding for habitat protection. In this sense, the individual animal saves the by acting as a high-profile ambassador. The Ethics of Breeding: If a zoo population maintains a 1-2% carrier
However, argues that the carriers of albinism are crucial. If a zoo population maintains a 1-2% carrier frequency for a neutral recessive gene, that is evolutionarily normal. But if a zoo purges every carrier, it reduces the overall genetic diversity of the species. This increases the risk of inbreeding depression An