Rare All-White Penguin Found 'Underweight and Dehydrated' — the First 'We Have Ever Seen,' Rescuers Say (2025)

Pearl is a special penguin.

The Wildlife Welfare Organisation (WWO) in Goolwa, Australia, found the little bird with head-to-toe white feathers on March 30. Due to the penguin's health, rescuers had little time to revel in her unique coloring.

Members of the WWO found the "unusual" penguin (who they later named Pearl) at Hayborough Beach, the organization announced on Facebook, noting that, unfortunately, the exciting moment was dampened because Pearl was found "quite underweight and dehydrated."

"We will certainly do our utmost to pull this little dude through," the WWO's March 30 post read. "Fingers crossed everyone."

The Goolwa-based organization also wrote that “this is the first leucistic penguin we have ever seen,” even for WWO veterans like Rena Robinson — who told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that in her decades of experience, she has never seen a bird like Pearl.

In the same Facebook post, the WWO also shared some information about Pearl’s rare and eye-catching coloring from leucism — which is different from albinism, it clarified.

“A very busy day today at the wildlife rescue center. The most intriguing and unusual animal that came in today was this strange-looking Little Penguin,” the WWO said. “Yes, this bird is white, or the correct term for this lack of color is leucistic.”

The organization explained that leucism "is a genetic peculiarity due to a recessive gene that gives the white color to fur or feathers."

The peculiarity, which gives Pearl her atypical appearance, "is different to albinism where the feathers are pure white, and the eye has no color," the WWO added.

A few days after the WWO first took Pearl in, the team revealed in a Facebook update that they had named the "our special Little Penguin," calling her gem-inspired moniker "a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

As for her condition, the organization shared a clip of the bird and wrote, "She is having a quick photo shoot today to show you all how well she is doing." But, the WWO added, the penguin "is not out of the woods yet, so please don't uncross your fingers just yet."

The WWO shared more about Pearl's condition — and future — with ABC.

The adult female weighed less than 1 kilogram (or about 2 lbs.) when the organization found her, per the outlet. While Pearl herself is an unusual sight, it is not rare to find emaciated birds in the area this time of year, Robinson said.

Robinson told ABC that the organization is now feeding Pearl a special diet to help her gain weight and improve her condition overall. The bird is also receiving medication to prevent respiratory fungal disease.

The WWO representative added that the organization will determine Pearl's next move once she is healthier.