Touching footage has been captured of a rare pink elephant playing with another calf at a watering hole in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
Elephants are usually grey, but this calf is small in size and belongs to the genus LoxodontaHe has pink skin and blond hair as a result of a genetic condition called albinism – A genetic disorder that stops the production of a molecule called melanin, which is responsible for the pigment in the eyes, hair and skin.
The rare condition “occurs only once in 10,000 births” in wild mammals, Theo Potgieter, the safari operator who captured the photo of the baby elephant, said in an email to Live Science.
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According to Potgieter, the elephant is estimated to be about one year old, and sightings of the young male have been reported since late last year.
Albinism is a rare condition because it is Rare genetic trait It appears only when both parents carry the mutated gene and pass it to their offspring.
Cause the condition Visual impairment. The lack of pigment results in stunted eye development, which may affect the animal's ability to forage for food or successfully track and chase prey. At the same time, the absence of colored fur, scales or skin means they are often present They lose their ability to camouflage against their environment, making it difficult to hide from predators or prey.
In addition, previous research on catfish has indicated that animals with albinism are sometimes ostracized by individuals of the same species, which may lead individuals to develop albinism. Solitary existence.
However, in the same national park, Potgieter had seen albinism in an elephant calf before, and said that both calves seemed quite acceptable among the herd. “In both recent sightings of two different individuals, the rest of the herd appeared to be very protective and patient around these small individuals,” Potgieter said.
“It is always an honor to be able to view these very rare and special animals,” Potgieter said.
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