Mar 28, 2009: Pink Elephant

[xoxoxoBruce]

Wolf told me she'd seen a pink elephant.
Well, we know Wolf loves her some mead.

And I know she's got toy/stuffed critters, but mostly mooses.


So I thought maybe she saw a tourist trap, or maybe a commercial promotion?



But it turns out she did see a pink elephant... and so did the BBC.

Experts believe it is probably an albino, which is an extremely rare phenomenon in African elephants.

I should think that the herd would be awed, and make him/her the King/Queen of the herd... maybe all the herds.
But it turns out it's not a good thing.

He said that the condition might make it difficult for the calf to survive into adulthood.
"What happens to these young albino calves remains a mystery," said Dr Chase.
"Surviving this very rare phenomenon is very difficult in the harsh African bush. The glaring sun may cause blindness and skin problems."
However, he told BBC News that there might be a ray of hope for the pink calf as it already seemed to be learning to adapt to its condition.
"Already the two-to-three-month-old calf seems to be walking in the shade of its mother.
"This behaviour suggests it is aware of its susceptibility to the harsh African sun, and adapted a unique behaviour to improve its chances of survival."
He added: "I have learned that elephants are highly adaptable, intelligent and masters of survival."

You go, pinky!