A baby elephant born with albinism has thrived in the wild despite facing problems caused by its pigmentation.
The rare calf was born in April this year in Maasai Mara, Kenya.
A wildlife photographer caught it on camera, who spotted its unusual pink skin pigmentation, but it is believed to be thriving nonetheless.
Mostafa Elbrolosy, a ranger who runs a safari camp, said he had heard about the elephant’s birth but was surprised when he saw the adorable baby elephant in person.
He said: ‘It was a rare sighting.
‘Rare creatures are always the most fascinating to any wildlife photographer and having the opportunity to view and photograph it was like a dream.
‘When I lived in Maasai Mara running my cozy camp here, I got news on the radio about a female elephant giving birth to an albino.
‘I finished my work, packed my camera, and went looking for it with one of our guides.
‘We received a surprise in the afternoon after a long silent search with only a few people coming to see because no one expected it to be an albino.
‘I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see and photograph this extremely rare baby.’
Mr. Elbrolosy said the newborn calf was extremely rare and was thriving despite the harsh sun being unsuitable for it.
‘It is very well surrounded and protected by the herd, trying to feed on its mother and go for walks with her.
‘He’s only eight hours old.
‘We were delighted to see such a wonderful sight.’
Albinism is caused by a lack of pigment in the skin and often results in pale layers of skin as well as unpigmented, pink eyes.
This condition can also cause poor vision and can eventually lead to blindness as the calf gets older.
Many elephants have patches of unpigmented skin behind their ears but true albinos can often be rejected by their own species due to their unusual appearance.
