Melanistic Redfoot Hatchling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????

Tortstork welcomes a Melanistic Redfoot hatchling.  This little guy is real, they are rare, but they do exist.  Due to his Melanism, he has almost all black pigment, except for a few spots on its head and tail, one spot on its right front arm, and two spots on either heel on its back legs. Some might claim this little guy is hypo-melanistic because of those few spots.  There are not a lot of Melanistic tortoises, so we don’t really know what they truly look like. Melanism is the increased development of the dark-colored pigment melanin in the skin and hair of an animal.  It is the opposite of Albinism. Just like Albinism results in stunningly white animals, Melanism can create all-black animals that are so beautiful, it’s hard to believe they’re real.