Rare Pink Platypus Captured on Video in Victoria River
MELBOURNE, Victoria — In a remarkable encounter along a river in Gippsland, an Australian angler captured video footage of an extraordinarily rare pink platypus, a sight that has intrigued both wildlife enthusiasts and researchers alike. Cody Stylianou, a local resident and avid fisherman, initially mistook the unusual creature for a large trout before realizing he had stumbled upon something far more extraordinary. “The bill and feet are super obviously pink,” Stylianou told The Guardian. “When he did go a bit further into sunlit areas, he was easy to follow underwater, which is how I got so many videos of him surfacing.”
Platypuses are typically brown and well-camouflaged in their riverine habitats, but Stylianou’s footage reveals a strikingly pale, almost pink-hued individual, which he affectionately named Pinky. Over the years, Stylianou has observed several platypuses in the same river system, but none with such a distinctive coloration. “I’ve seen other platypus in the same river system, just regular colored ones,” he said. “Probably about five to eight of them over the years, from memory. Normally, they just pop up at the top of the water and then disappear once they see me.”
The unusual coloration prompted speculation that Pinky might be exhibiting a pigmentation mutation such as albinism or leucism, conditions that cause reduced pigmentation in animals. However, experts from the Australian Platypus Conservancy have weighed in to clarify the situation. Jeff Williams, the conservancy’s director, explained that platypuses naturally exhibit a wide range of color variations. “Platypus do vary a lot in color,” Williams said. “And this one’s at the extreme end of the light ones. It’s not one that we consider should be added to the list of albino and leucistic ones.”
Wildlife ecologist Josh Griffiths, specializing in environmental DNA analysis, further noted that the pink coloration is unlikely to significantly affect the platypus’s survival. “Because platypuses are in rivers, they’re usually the apex predator in these rivers [and] there’s nothing really that eats them. So they’re generally pretty safe in that regard,” Griffiths told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Platypuses are unique monotremes, egg-laying mammals native to eastern Australia, and are often celebrated for their unusual appearance — a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a beaver-like tail. Their elusive nature and nocturnal habits make sightings rare, and an unusual color variant even more so. The discovery of Pinky adds to the growing understanding of the species’ diversity and adaptability in their natural habitats.
The Australian Platypus Conservancy continues to monitor platypus populations and encourages the public to report sightings of unusual individuals to aid conservation efforts. Platypus populations face threats from habitat destruction, water pollution, and climate change, making such observations valuable for ongoing research and protection initiatives.
For those interested in learning more about platypus conservation and the species’ biology, the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment provides extensive resources and updates on wildlife protection programs. Additionally, the National Geographic offers detailed insights into the platypus’s unique characteristics and ecological role.
As the video of Pinky circulates online, it serves as a reminder of the natural wonders still to be discovered in Australia’s waterways and the importance of preserving these ecosystems for future generations.
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