In Africa, the term “white elephants” can refer to both rare albino or leucistic elephants and, more broadly, to large, expensive, and ultimately unproductive development projects. In the case of elephants, albinism is an extremely rare genetic condition causing a lack of pigment, resulting in white or pale skin and pink eyes. Leucism is another condition where animals have reduced pigmentation, but unlike albinism, they may retain some pigment and their eyes are typically dark. These pale elephants, whether albino or leucistic, can face challenges due to increased sun sensitivity and potential vision problems. The term “white elephant” is also used to describe large-scale infrastructure projects that become costly and ultimately fail to deliver the expected benefits or value.Â