Pink elephant is caught on camera

[leftchick]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7951331.stm

A pink baby elephant has been caught on camera in Botswana.

A wildlife cameraman took pictures of the calf when he spotted it among a herd of about 80 elephants in the Okavango Delta.

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

They are unsure of its chances of long-term survival - the blazing African sunlight may cause blindness and skin problems for the calf.

Mike Holding, who spotted the baby while filming for a BBC wildlife programme, said: "We only saw it for a couple of minutes as the herd crossed the river.

"This was a really exciting moment for everyone in camp. We knew it was a rare sighting - no-one could believe their eyes."



The baby elephant seems to be sheltering under its mother to protect itself from the sun

[malaise]

1. Rare indeed

Thanks for the link.

[leftchick]

3. for whatever reason

I can't get the pic to post. The poor little thing will have a hard time surviving. :(

[acmavm]

2. The picture wouldn't show up for me...

you have to go to the article to see the little baby.

It's worth it.

[leftchick]

5. BBC did something to the link

probably to hang on to the photo as long as they can.

[acmavm]

6. I hate that. Sometimes you think you're gonna get a nice picture

and voila, you get the link again.

[soothsayer]

4. (hic) I see them all the time (hic)

[ThomWV]

7. When I was in the Army we were sent out to hunt pink elephants once

No shit, we spent about a week flying around in a helicopter looking for 'pink elephants' and were supposed to shoot (machine gun) any we saw. Someone had got the idea that the North Vietnamese were moving equipment down through Cambodia on elephants(?) who they supposedly released just prior to the rainy season when they supposedly became useless. The idea was that the red clay dust of the dry season would make them look pink before the rains came. So if we saw one we were to remove that asset from the enemies use.

Flying was a lot better than walking so I didn't mind. Needless to say we never saw a pink elephant, or any other kind for that matter. Someone came to their senses and the 'project' came to a rather quick end. Oh, this would have been in '67 I think.

[RandySF]

8. Oh, I thought this was about Lindsey Graham

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

9. Was he hanging out with a 400 lb. gorilla?

:evilgrin: