Why would albinism present significant survival hurdles for a hypothetical wild polecat?

A pure white coat provides poor camouflage, and associated visual impairment hinders hunting and threat detection

In a natural, competitive environment populated by predators and prey, the traits associated with albinism are severely maladaptive for a small predator like a wild polecat. The conspicuous pure white coat offers virtually no camouflage against the typical dark forest floor or underground burrow systems, making the animal both an easy target for predators and inefficient at ambushing prey. Additionally, albinism often correlates with visual deficits, such as an impaired optokinetic reaction, meaning the animal struggles to accurately track moving objects—a critical skill for hunting success and rapid threat assessment. Consequently, natural selection would rapidly eliminate this genotype from the wild gene pool.