Pink-Hippo Pictures: Rare Youngster Spotted in Kenya

A young, rosy-huedhippopotamus(pictured) was spotted in September along the banks ofKenya's Mara River—and the discovery has two photographers tickled, well, pink.

"Just as we started to tuck into our breakfast, we looked up and gawked, open-mouthed, as a pink hippopotamus emerged from the river!"English brothersWill and Matt Burrard-Lucas wrote on their blogon September 28.

The brothers were in theMasai Mara National Reserve (map)to photograph the annualwildebeestmigration when they spotted the rare youngster. (Related:Great Migrations TV miniserieson the National Geographic Channel.)

The odd-looking animal has a condition called leucism, which occurs when the skin produces less pigment than usual, according to Joshua Charlton, assistant curator of mammals at theBronx Zooin New York City.

"It never ceases to amaze me how often nature reveals something unexpected,"Will Burrard-Lucas wrote on the blog.

—Christine Dell'Amore

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