A Rᴀʀᴇ Pink Baby Elephant Was Spotted At A Wildlife Park In South Africa

A Rᴀʀᴇ Pink Baby Elephant Was Spotted At A Wildlife Park In South Africa

 Thanks to Nicki Coertze, we can now all enjoy seeing a Rᴀʀᴇ pink elephant! When Nicki Coertze, a professional wildlife photographer, visited the Kruger National Park in South Africa, he spotted a Rᴀʀᴇ pink elephant calf standing out from the herd of African gray elephants.

One person who saw the baby was 58-year old Nicki Coertze, who has been visiting Kruger Park since he was a kid. He said in all his years in the park he has never seen an ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ elephant before, so he knew it was a once-in-a lifetime sighting and made sure to take as many pictures as he could. ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ or ʟᴇᴜᴄɪsᴛɪᴄ?  it is ʜᴀʀᴅ to determine if the baby elephant is ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ or ʟᴇᴜᴄɪsᴛɪᴄ. Aʟʙɪɴɪsᴍ is a condition where there is an absence of melanin in the skin, resulting in the loss of colour of skin, hair and feathers. Animals with Aʟʙɪɴɪsᴍ usually have pink or red eyes. Leucism on the other hand, only refers to a partial loss of pigmentation, and is a genetic condition that can only be found in animals. ʟᴇᴜᴄɪsᴛɪᴄ animals have overall pale-coloured fur, skin or feathers or have patches of pale colour, and have normal-coloured eyes. Such pale skin for an elephant could mean a tough road ahead for sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ. The lighter colour makes it easier to spot by ᴘʀᴇᴅᴀᴛᴏʀs, and it could be more susceptible to the harsh sunlight as well, especially in the heat of the savannah.

Coertze first spotted the pink calf by a watering hole with his mother and the rest of his family.  Unfortunately, animals with Leucism are an easier target for ᴘʀᴇᴅᴀᴛᴏʀ because they stand apart from their surroundings.  Lucky for this pink baby, he has a lot of big protectors around him. By all accounts the adorable pink baby is fitting in well with his family, which is not always the case for special animals that sometimes will get cast out for being different and drawing unwanted attention to the herd. We wish this little pink elephant all the best and a long healthy life.  Please share these unusual pictures with your family and friends.