Discover the “wow” of pink animals in nature

Pink is a calming color that boosts emotional energies. It alleviates feelings of aggression, anger and resentment. Furthermore, it relieves feelings of neglect and abandonment. Interestingly, studies have shown the power of the calming effect this color has. Aggressive and violent inmates in prisons became significantly calmer by living in a pink cell for a predetermined period.

The attraction to rose-colored objects is evident in the successful marketing of pink salt. Nowhere does it say it is healthier or better in any way. However, if you bought pink salt instead of the usual white salt, you probably looked at it and decided it must be better — it’s pink after all!

So what does that have to do with pink animals?

Nothing really. I never associated this color with animals. If I think of pink in nature, flowers, specifically roses, rose or crimson hues in sunsets come to mind. Therefore, my fascination made me want to share the beauty I was unaware of up to now. I included pink flamingos that are not strange. However, they are no less beautiful than the other animals in shades of rose, coral, fuchsia and magenta.

What gives the Roseate Spoonbill its pink feathers?

Spoonbills are waders who find their food along the shores and in marshes. Their diet of shrimp and crabs ensures their rose-colored primary feathers. However, their beauty almost led to their extinction. Their feathers were sought after, highly prized objects in the manufacture of fans for menopausal ladies in the 19^th century. Fortunately, legal protection led to increased numbers of roseate spoonbills in Florida from between only about 30 to 40 breeding pairs to the current numbers exceeding 1,000 pairs now nesting in Florida.

Can you spot the bright pink seahorse in the image above?

These pygmy seahorses or Bargibant’s seahorses are masters of disguise. Their beautiful hues make them almost entirely invisible where they live only on fan corals of the same pink color. They are no longer than 1/2 to 1 inch and feed on minuscule food particles delivered to them by the ocean’s currents. Their tiny bodies sport little nodules that mimic the buds on the coral surrounding them. They were unknown until a researcher studying coral came upon one.

The sly ways of the Orchid Mantis to lure insects

In 1879, an Australian journalist mistook this cunning pink mantis for a carnivorous orchid in Indonesia. He witnessed what he thought was an orchid, luring butterflies and then eating them alive. The reality is that this mantis does not hide among flowers and catch insects lured by the flowers. Instead, it parks itself on a bare branch, camouflaged by its appearance, mimicking a flower. It surprised scientists to find that the disguised Orchid Mantis attracts more insects than the real flowers do.

Sea Stars

Marine scientists have taken on renaming these beautiful stars that live in oceans across the planet. You will find them from the cold floor of the ocean to tropical habitats. Scientists say the number of different sea star species is about 2,000. Along with the beautiful pink hues, they come in a variety of colors.

Age makes Amazon River Dolphins go pink

These dolphins are endangered. They are the largest freshwater dolphin species. Surprisingly, the young ones are gray, but age turns them pink. Why? The injury scars of scrapes and wounds change their skins to pink. The most uniformly pink dolphins are the particularly aggressive males.

Of all Sea Anemones, the pinks are prettiest

There is much more than beauty to sea anemones. They come in various colors, brighter when they live on coral and duller shades when they live on rocks. They are relations of jellyfish and coral, and they are carnivores. Most importantly, some grow as big as six feet in diameter, and they can live for up to 50 years.

Nudibranch’s colors are remarkable

The spans of the western Indo-Pacific is the home of this marine mollusk. Their colors are remarkable and range from soft pink candy colors to neon rainbow shades. Along with serving as camouflage, their colors also warn predators.

From where the incredible color of the Pink Katydid?

Reasons for the spectacular hue of the Pink Katydid have been questioned as far back as 1874. However, among all the findings, a 1907 conclusion seems most acceptable. American entomologist and myrmecologist William Morton Wheeler suggested a genetic root comparable to albinism.

Web-Footed Gecko without eyelids

This gecko lives in the Namib, a desert in Southern Africa. Its coral color provides camouflage in the desert’s reddish sands. Additionally, they use various sounds, including croaks, squeaks and clicks and more to scare attackers. However, the strangest trait is the absence of eyelids. The geckos use their tongues to keep their eyeballs moist. Can you imagine that — in a desert with nothing but sand?

High-speed Elephant Hawk Moth

There are 1,400 hawk moth species across the world. They are the fastest flying insect on our planet and could fly as fast as 12 miles per hour. The Elephant Hawk Moth sports a color combination of bright crimson and green, which helps potential mates to see them in the dark. They can hover like hummingbirds to feed on flowers and hide in willowherbs and fuchsias, which offer the perfect camouflage.

Pink Axolotl, a.k.a. Mexican walking fish

These charming salamanders come in a variety of colors, like green, yellow, black and white. The white ones always sport rose-colored gills, and their black cousins have blue gills. Amazingly, they have the power to heal injuries and regrow limbs. Although they are amphibians, they remain in larval form and never undergo metamorphosis.

Pink Hairy Squat Lobster is no lobster

This beguiling marine creature is also called the fairy crab. This crustacean lives on a rose-colored giant barrel sponge, which provides the perfect protection because the tiny, half-inch long “lobster’s” color matches its home.

No pink animal gallery is complete without a flamingo

Would you believe that the famous pink flamingo hatches as a drab, gray, long-legged bird? Their pink, peach or coral magnificence develops as they grow and feed on blue-green and red algae. The algae contain the red-orange pigment of beta-carotene. Furthermore, their love for feeding on crustaceans and mollusks provides additional pigment-rich carotenoids. Even though they live and fly in flocks, flamingos choose a single mate and typically live monogamous lives.