These monkeys are turning blonde Panthera Costa Rica
One group of monkeys is going through an unexpected transition – their coats are changing rapidly from charcoal black to creamy yellow.
Hair colour in primates is controlled by melanin. It comes in two forms: eumelanin, which is responsible for brown and black hues, and pheomelanin, which produces yellow and red tones.
The mix of melanin in an animal’s skin and hair is determined by DNA, so the natural hair colour of individuals belonging to the same species should remain relatively fixed.
That’s why Ismael Galván at the Doñana Biological Station…
