home International They catch a pink stingray on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
Photography/@kristianlainephotography
The world’s only pink stingray has been photographed swimming in front of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Photographer Kristian Laine took incredible images of the adorable underwater beast, who has been named Inspector Clouseau by the hapless detective in the Pink Panther films. The photographer shared the images on Instagram where they quickly went viral.
“When I looked at my photos on my camera right after the encounter, I was looking through the viewfinder and thought it was strange that one of the blankets looked pink. I was in the middle of a blanket train with seven other blankets, I thought my strobe lights were playing, making the blanket look pink.”
“It felt amazing because I had witnessed it so close. Inspector Clouseau has been seen less than 10 times since it was first seen in 2015. “This time, he was seen with seven other males competing for female attention,” the photographer said.
Its distinctive color is thought to be caused by some type of genetic mutation that affects the color of its melanin, a skin pigment. The process that causes this may be similar to albinism in humans. Reef stingrays tend to come in three different colors: black, white and a combination of the two. The latest mixed configuration is the most common, with rays having dark back to blend into the gloomy water below and a lighter side to blend in with sunlight. You might think that being bright pink might put Inspector Clouseau at risk of being eaten by predators, but it’s still very large. Adult rays can weigh more than a ton and should not be disturbed.
Source: Metro
