Pink platypus spotted in Gippsland far from a monochrome monotreme
Biologist says specimen filmed by a Victorian fisher is ‘unusual’, but not a rare albino as some had wondered
TL;DR
- Cody Stylianou observed a pink platypus in a Gippsland waterway, nicknaming it 'Pinky'.
- Experts suggest the platypus is unusually light-colored but not albino or leucistic.
- Platypus color variations are natural, similar to human pigment differences.
- The platypus is listed as near-threatened, with Victorian populations having declined historically.
- Conservation efforts like replanting native vegetation along waterways are helping platypus populations recover.