Off The Cuff

Rare pink dolphin spotted in Louisiana, video goes viral

July 20, 2023
Bharat Times

The video shows a pink dolphin briefly coming out of the water before diving back in.

A rare pink dolphin was spotted swimming in the waters off Louisiana last week. Video of the mammal was shot by Thurman Gustin, who has been fishing for more than 20 years. CBS News, He spotted not one, but two pink dolphins in Cameron Parish near the Gulf of Mexico on July 12 and shared the video. facebook postWhich later went viral. Mr. Gustin explained that despite being accustomed to seeing dolphins in the area, this particular encounter took him completely by surprise. CBS News,

He even compared it to some of his most remarkable wildlife experiences, such as seeing a bobcat swimming across a creek in Texas, an event that left an indelible impression on him.

“He was nice but nothing like it,” Mr. Gustin told the outlet About bobcat encounter.

He continued, “As we were leaving I saw something underwater that I knew was not normal. I stopped the boat and picked up this beautiful pink dolphin. I had to record it.”

Mr Gustin’s video shows a pink dolphin coming out of the water and then diving back in.

“I go fishing all the time,” he said. USA Today, “This was my third trip to Louisiana this year. I am very fortunate because places like this are extremely rare. People who have lived there their whole lives have not seen anything like this.”

Mr Gustin called the experience “unforgettable”.

Although there is a species known as the pink river dolphin that lives in freshwater river basins in South America, it was unlikely to be the species Mr. Gustin encountered. The most likely candidates were bottlenose dolphins, usually brown sighted, that are common in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the Blue World Institute, dolphins displaying pink or white coloration are rare and are often attributed to albinism. Unfortunately, these unique creatures attract human attention and, in some unfortunate instances, can be captured and kept in captivity.

The dolphin Gustin encountered was likely ‘Pinky’, a well-known dolphin from southern Louisiana USA Today, Pinky, first seen in the Calcasieu River in 2007, has features similar to those of an albino dolphin, with red eyes and visible blood vessels due to a lack of pigment.

Pinky has also gained a lot of followers on Facebook, where people share their encounters with her.

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