Rare Pink Elephant Spotted Frolicking in the Wild

“Is that a pink elephant bathing in the mighty Olifants river?” Theo Potgieter, a guide and safari operator in Kruger National Park, South Africa, recently asked on Facebook.

Rhetorical question. Potgieter had heard reports of a pink elephant living in the national park but hadn't seen the rare creature himself, until now. “A handful of sightings have been reported of this young bull in late 2023,” the guide tells media outlet SWNS, “but to my knowledge, there is no footage."

There is now. Potgieter grabbed his camera and recorded the pink pachyderm frolicking with his family in the water. The little guy, reckoned to be about a year old, has albinism, a genetic disorder that prevents melanin production responsible for pigment in his eyes, hair, and skin. Ironic that the disorder that stifles color in fact gives the baby bull a pinkish hue compared to his gray siblings.

The condition occurs about once in every 10,000 births, which would mean there’s only around 40 albino elephants in the wild worldwide. These rare creatures tend to be sensitive to sunlight and can suffer from diminished eyesight. Worse, an albino is often shunned by the herd, which can be a death sentence for a youngster.

But this fellow enjoys acceptance in an accepting family, as evinced by Potgieter’s pics. He also captured the colorful character on video, in action here.

Photo credit: Theo Potgieter