Overview

• The more-than-six-foot nurse shark was encountered during a sport-fishing trip near Tortuguero National Park at roughly 37 meters depth.
• The shark’s striking white eyes align with albinism traits noted by researchers reviewing images of the specimen.
• Federal University of Rio Grande researchers report no previous Caribbean records of xanthism in cartilaginous fish such as sharks, rays, and skates.
• Scientists say pigmentation anomalies are often linked to genetic mutations, though diet and environmental factors can influence coloration, prompting calls for further study.
• The heightened visibility from orange skin and pale eyes could affect predation and hunting dynamics, yet experts caution the survival impacts remain unclear.