While bottlenose dolphins are common there--they feed in the deep water and ride on the top of boats' waves--a pink one is most assuredly uncommon. Biologist Dagmar Fertl of Plano, Texas tells The Associated Press this is only the 14th albino bottlenose dolphin reported worldwide and the third in the Gulf of Mexico. It was first spotted as a calf in June 2007 by Wesley Lockard of Rayville, Louisiana. He told AP, "Something comes up and you say, 'Wow! Did I just...?' Then he comes up again and you say, 'Yeah! I just saw a pink dolphin!'" But now the pink dolphin is a relatively common sight in the channel that is south of Lake Charles. "We see him on a pretty regular basis," Roddy Blackburn, crewman and relief captain of a boat that ferries pilots to ships, told AP.
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist is very interested in reports of sightings because they want to protect the dolphin and keep it safe. People are warned to stay at least 50 yards away.
