For the most of us, a golden, turquoise or a bright pink animal may be considered strange or odd, yet Nature seems set to show us that its beauty comes in many hues, many of which are beyond the scope of what we have seen, imagined or conjured up in our most poetic moments. These are just nine of Nature's most beautifully colored creatures.
(contributed by our reader, Emma Hyam)
1. The White Peacock
Similar to a willow in fragility and to a snowflake in its pristine whiteness, the white peacock is equally dazzling as its multi-hued counterpart, and is often viewed as a symbol of purity. This bird isn't albino, however; rather, it displays a genetic mutation called leucism, which causes the absence of pigments in its feathers. Unlike albino mammals, which have pink or red eyes, white peacocks and peahens have blue eyes. Don’t be fooled if you see a peahen with her flock of tiny yellow chicks; as they mature, they will change in hue, undergoing a transformation as dramatic and beautiful as that of the ‘Ugly Duckling’ into a beautiful swan.
