Albino pachyderm

Pink baby elephant spotted in Kruger National Park

(Bild: kameraOne (Screenshot))

A safari guide recently captured some highly unusual footage in the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa: He was able to film a pink-colored young animal in a herd of African elephants.

Albino elephants are often rejected by their herds, but this young animal appears to have been fully accepted - at least that's what the footage suggests. Albinism occurs in only one in 10,000 births of African elephants.

Albino elephants sacred in some countries
In India as well as in Myanmar and Thailand, albino elephants have been a symbol of power and happiness for rulers for centuries and are considered sacred animals. Until the beginning of the 20th century, a white elephant even adorned the flag of Thailand, which was then still called Siam.

Albinism occurs in African elephants in only one in 10,000 births.(Bild: kameraOne (Screenshot))

South Africa's most important tourist attraction
Kruger National Park is one of the largest national parks in Africa and one of the country's most important tourist attractions. It was established as a protected area on March 26, 1898 by then President Paul Kruger as the "Sabie Game Reserve", before the area was renamed Kruger National Park in 1926.

What is albinism?

Albinism is a congenital disorder in which the body does not produce melanins (pigments, i.e. dyes; note), which are responsible for the coloration of skin, hair and eyes. Affected animals are referred to as albinos.

National park the size of Lower Austria
At just under 20,000 square kilometers, the park is roughly the size of the federal state of Lower Austria. It is known for its large number of wild animals, such as elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and buffaloes.