The world's only pink Bottlenose dolphin which was discovered in an inland lake in Louisiana, USA, has become such an attraction that conservationists have warned tourists to leave it alone.
Charter boat captain Erik Rue, 42, photographed the animal, which is actually an albino, when he began studying it after the mammal first surfaced in Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary, north of the Gulf of Mexico in southwestern USA.
Capt Rue originally saw the dolphin, which also has reddish eyes, swimming with a pod of four other dolphins, with one appearing to be its mother which never left its side.
He said: "I just happened to see a little pod of dolphins, and I noticed one that was a little lighter.
"It was absolutely stunningly pink.
"I had never seen anything like it. It's the same color throughout the whole body and it looks like it just came out of a paint booth.
"The dolphin appears to be healthy and normal other than its coloration, which is quite beautiful and stunningly pink.
"The mammal is entirely pink from tip to tail and has reddish eyes indicating its albinism. The skin appears smooth, glossy pink and without flaws.
"I have personally spotted the pink dolphin 40 to 50 times in the time since the original sighting as it has apparently taken up residence with its family in the Calcasieu ship channel.
"As time has passed the young mammal has grown and sometimes ventures away from its mother to feed and play but always remains in the vicinity of the pod.
"Surprisingly, it does not appear to be drastically affected by the environment or sunlight as might be expected considering its condition, although it tends to remain below the surface a little more than the others in the pod."
Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, said: "I have never seen a dolphin coloured in this way in all my career.
"It is a truly beautiful dolphin but people should be careful, as with any dolphins, to respect it - observe from a distance, limit their time watching, don't chase or harass it
"While this animal looks pink, it is an albino which you can notice in the pink eyes.
"Albinism is a genetic trait and it unclear as to the type of albinism this animal inherited."
A close relation of dolphins, the Amazon River Botos, called pink dolphins, live in South America in the Amazon. (SOURCE)
very cool. i'm surprised sea world hasent come to take it for display at the park.it would bring in thousands of new park attendees. and the poor doplhin might live alot longer with a better ;lifestyle.
you think captivity is a better life style than freedom??? come on.
It's beautiful, hope it gets left alone in the wild...captivity is cruel!!
I would prefer that this uniquely beautiful creature lives a short life free, than to be cooped up in a aquarium for a "safer", "longer"... life.
Wow how beautiful. I sure hope it has a very long life.
Yeah, I agree. Living in an aquarium, being stared at every day by thousands of strangers? Doesn't sound like something a kind person would do.
Very cute :) Hope no one tries to capture it and lock it up.
come to panama city florida sweet dolphin,i would love to see you!!!!!!!!!!
Dolphins are smarter than humans. To lock it up would mean we really haven't progressed that much.. It would be selfish and cruel -- like all zoos. It's absolutely stunning!
i agree with u guys captivity is wrong and they should leave it so maybee there can be more albino babies ;-) my friend says they should leave the dolphin alone captivity is wrong and cvruel. I hate it when people take animals and put them captivity.
if they want to put it in captivity i would sue those people and hopefully put it back into freedom. i hate all the people that thinks its ok to put them locked up in a cage. let the dolphins live in freedom!
I agree that dolphins should be as free as the wind. Soon, dolphins won't be on Earth, and we wouldn't have the joy of watching them grow of jump along when you're on a cruise! Who agrees that dolphins shoul swim in freedom!!!!!!!!!