Posted 29 Sep 2010

Gap year travellers who spend time on safari in Kenya could be lucky enough to spot a few rare animals during their trip.

Two visitors to the Masai Mara reserve certainly did while they were tracking down migratory wildebeest in the area.

Brothers Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas spotted a rare pink hippopotamus calf splashing around in the mud with its mother.

The pair photographed the creature, which they said was leucistic. This means the animal's pigmentation cells fail to develop properly.

Leucistic animals are often unable to survive in the wild, since they are more visible to predators and their skin burns easily in the sun.

Gap year travellers would have to be very lucky to come across such an uncommon sight on their own safari, but that doesn't mean their adventure won't be memorable, as Kenya's reserves are teeming with wildlife.

In the Masai Mara, some of the most popular animals to spot include lions, elephants, buffalo and rhinoceros.
 

Category: Africa