Have you ever seen a black chicken? How about a purple snail or a yellow bullfrog? Mother Nature is quite colorful but most of the animals you will see have a shade of brown, black, yellow, white, or a combination of these hues.
Seeing animals, birds or insects in unusually bright colors will make you do a double take. But one shade in particular that you don’t usually see is pink. Here, we will take a look at some members of the animal kingdom with that blushing hue – ranging from pale rose to hot pink!
1. Hot Pink Slug
Source: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/
Featured by the online magazine of the National Geographic, this photo of a neon/hot pink slug became a big hit with the netizens. Its scientific name is Triboniophorus aff. Graeffei, classified as a new species of slugs found in the mountains of Australia. It can grow up to eight inches in length and its home in South Wales was designated as an endangered ecological area
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2. Spotted Pink Hippopotamus
Source: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/
Hippos are usually dark grey in color but in 2010, a pink-hued hippopotamus was found along the banks of the Mara River in Kenya. According to a mammals curator, the pink hippo suffers from Leucism, a genetic condition where the skin produces less pigment than normal.
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3. Pink Grasshopper
Source: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/
Based from the name, grasshoppers are supposed to be green. So when you’re a researcher who stumbles upon a group of six pink grasshoppers, you are bound to do a double take. In a report for The National Geographic, explorer Victoria Hillman found these blush-hued insects at the mountains of Romania. However, their color is attributed to a condition called erythism, similar to albinism. The rosy grasshoppers are young insects who unfortunately rarely grow into adults, so seeing them in the wild is quite a feat.
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4. Pink Handfish
Source: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/
Discovered in a study conducted last 2010, the pink handfish has something more unusual than its blushing color. Instead of using its fins to swim, the sea creature uses its hands-like fins to walk along the ocean floor. The pink handfish is native to the shallow coastal waters of southeastern Australia.
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5. “Pink Panther”
Source: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/
Pink Panther may be a cartoon character, but it does have a version in real life. At the Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa, a male African leopard was found and it had pink-colored spots on its coat. Called the ‘strawberry leopard’. Similar to albinism, the animal has erythism which causes it to have red or pinkish pigments on the coat. Thankfully, other than the unusual color, the condition has no other effects on the magnificent animal.
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6. Pink Tarantula
Source: http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/
If the sight of big, hairy spiders makes your skin crawl, you may not necessarily have the same reaction upon seeing this tarantula with a pinkish hue. Called the Typhochlaena Amma, the species was discovered in 2012 and the tree-dwelling pink tarantulas are so far the smallest, growing up to 3 centimeters long.
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7. Pink-Chested Robin
Source: http://www.earthporm.com/
There are many species of robins, the most common of which are the red-breasted ones. This particular robin is pretty unusual because of its perfectly pink chest. These birds are native to Australia.
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8. Pink Katydid
Source: http://www.earthporm.com/
A katydid or a leafbug is a member of the cricket family. They are basically long-horned grasshoppers and the green color is supposed to make them blend with nature. In the case of the pink katydids, they are suffering from erythism, similar to the gene that creates albinism in humans. The bright pink color makes these insects stand out vividly in a forest setting.
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9. Pink Orchid Mantis
Source: http://www.earthporm.com/
The Hymenopus Coronatus or pink mantis looks exactly like an orchid flower from afar. Its white body and pink legs are similar to flower petals, and they make for an amazing camouflage when blended in a forest environment. These insects are typically found in Malaysia.
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10. Pink Flamingo
Source: http://www.littlethings.com/
No pink animals list will be complete without the lovely pink flamingos. These birds are naturally white in color but their pink hue – ranging from pastel pink to a brighter coral – comes from the carotenoids in the food they eat.
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11. Pigs
Source: http://www.littlethings.com/
Pigs are probably the first thing you can think of when you’re asked about pink animals. These chubby little creatures have a very pale pink skin which is actually sensitive to sunlight. To prevent damage to their skin, they love rolling in the mud to keep their bodies cool.
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12. Pink Butterfly
Source: http://www.littlethings.com/
Butterflies are probably the prettiest, daintiest insects in the animal kingdom. They come in a variety of bold hues, so it’s no surprise that there are also winged insects which have a vibrant pink color.
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13. Pink Beetle
Source: http://www.littlethings.com/
Beetles are usually dark-colored: brown, black, orange-and-black, gold, or green. One species in particular has a natural pink/ magenta color, making the beetle easily blend with its surroundings, especially when atop brightly-hued flowers.
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14. Roseate Spoonbill
Source: http://www.littlethings.com/
Similar to pink flamingos, the roseate spoonbill gets its coloring from the food it eats. The intensity of the pink hue depends on how old the bird is, as well the temperature in its immediate environment.
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15. Rosefinch
Source: http://www.littlethings.com/
Another flying creature with a lovely pink hue is the aptly named Rosefinch. The birds are native to Asia and Europe, and the shade of pink is similar to dried rose petals.
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16. Pink Corn Snake
Source: https://news.mongabay.com/
Snakes are usually thought of as vile and intimidating, but they play an important role in nature. Their skin already has an intricate pattern but this corn snake with a delicate pink skin color is pretty unusual and eye-catching.
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17. Raspberry Dragonfly
Source: https://news.mongabay.com/
Madagascar is known for its flora and fauna, so it’s no surprise that you can find a lot of unusually colored animals here. One example is the Raspberry Dragonfly which is native to this part of Arica has a bright pink body and almost red, delicate wings.
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18. Pink Web-Footed Gecko
Source: https://news.mongabay.com/
Geckos are known for their ability to blend into their surroundings. Fortunately for these pink web-footed geckos, their light pink color allows them to blend right in. Their home is the Namid Desert where the sands are a combination of beige and pink.
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19. Pink Salamander
Source: https://news.mongabay.com/
Its common name is salamander, and these axolotls are actually characters from the famous app Pokemon Go. Found in the waters of Mexico, they are endangered amphibians which usually come in an olive green color. In the country, there are breeders who look for these animals because of their funny-looking bodies and unusual color.
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20. Pink Dolphin
Source: https://news.mongabay.com/
Finally, let’s not forget the most adorable mammals in the planet: dolphins. In Southeast Asia, there’s a species of pink dolphins that can be seen diving through the water. The intensity of the hue depends on the individual animal. There are also pink dolphins found in the Amazon River which are a different species.
The post From Pale Rose to Hot Pink: 20 Blushing Species in the Animal Kingdom! appeared first on ViralTide.