HE'S captured images of rare albino wallaroos on Mount Panorama in the past and now wildlife photographer Tim Bergen has had another interesting encounter on the local landmark.
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Mr Bergen recently snapped a white red-necked wallaby on the Mount.
"I initially thought it was one of the white wallaroos that I have seen and photographed up there before, but a local expert advised it is actually a white red-necked wallaby," he said.
"When I've compared shots I've got of the white wallaroos, I can see the difference - the red-necked wallaby's fur is not as thick and shaggy looking, they have smaller ears and their heads are smaller in proportion to their bodies compared to wallaroos."
READ ALSO: Science confirms white wallaroos on Mount
Mr Bergen's photos of albino wallaroos were, in 2014, forwarded to the University of Technology Sydney's macropod scientist Dr Daniel Ramp for confirmation.
"Albinism in wildlife is rare," Dr Ramp said at the time. "Just a handful of wild albino macropods are mentioned in the scientific literature and public press, although zoos breed them as attractions.
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"Because albino genes are recessive and rare, in humans the chance of both parents carrying the albino gene and having an albino offspring is one-in-20,000.
"For the female wallaroo [on the Mount] to have an albino offspring, she must have mated with a male also carrying the recessive gene."
Mr Bergen said his latest photographic encounter at Mount Panorama had been a thrill.
"I was amazed to see some white wallaroos on the Mount back in 2014 and am even more amazed that there is also a white red-necked Wallaby that lives up there."
