A rare pink albino elephant has appeared in the Kruger National Park in South Africa. This was reported by portal Live Science.
According to reservist Theo Potgieter, cases of albinism in elephants and other wild mammals occur in one in 10,000 people.
Albinism is a rare condition because it is recessive and occurs only when both parents carry the mutated gene and pass it on to their children. The disease stops the production of a molecule called melanin, which is responsible for pigment in the eyes, hair and skin.
Animals with albinism have difficulty surviving for various reasons. Lack of pigment interrupts the development of the eyes, which prevents the animals from obtaining food. Additionally, their unnatural coloration does not allow them to camouflage effectively, making them difficult to hide from predators. Finally, relatives often remove individuals who are different from them from the group.
Theo Potgieter said the pink elephant calf in the Kruger Wildlife Reserve was lucky that his herd did not attack the calf. On the contrary, elephants began to pay special attention to their unusual brother and protect him from possible threats.
Biologists before filmed The photo shows a unique albino anteater.