When Captain Eric Rue first spotted the incredibly unusual pink dolphin named Pinky, she became an instant sensation. Everyone wanted to see the unique mammal that spends her time in the Calcasiey river in Louisiana. Her popularity grew so high that there’s even a Facebook page of her where people can see photos of her swimming and playing in the water.
Although it’s still not completely clear how Pinky got her color, many experts claim it’s due to a rare genetic mutation. Technically, Pinky is an albino, which means her cells don’t produce enough melanin and it leads to discoloration of the body.
Ever since people learned of this pink river dolphin, they couldn’t help but wonder whether her babies would be of the same color as her. The curiosity is now satisfied as Pinky was recently spotted swimming with her calf, and guess what, it’s pink too.
This means that the little one inherited its mother’s genetic mutation and their population may increase in the future.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed river dolphins as endangered. It is estimated that there are currently close to 9000 pink dolphins around the world most of which can be found in Hong Kong and the Amazon rivers.
Because of her very light color, Pinky’s body shouldn’t be exposed to the sun too much.