Pikachu is real! In October, an orphaned possum reached a wildlife rescue service in Melbourne. The animal presents a rare genetic mutation which makes it boast a bright color scheme that made the rescuers nickname it Pikachu because this Australian possum looks like the legendary Pokemon.
According to the report by The Age, the Australian possum possesses a specific genetic mutation that “results in low levels of melanin,” meaning that the animal presents a fur colored in orange instead of the regular brown.
The five-month-old Australian possum, a female, was brought at the wildlife rescue service in Melbourne after it was found in the wild, most likely after the animal fell off its mother’s back, as Kotaku reported. The Melbourne-based rescue service won’t release Pikachu back in the wild due to its bright fur which would be like a signal for predators.
Pikachu Is Real! Mutated Australian Possum Looks Like The Famous Pokemon
“One of the issues with unusual colors, particularly if they are pale, is this a nocturnal animal and if they are pale they are obvious to predators like an owl,” said Dr. Kath Handasyde, a researcher at the Melbourne University, for The Age.
Even though Pikachu is not the only golden Australian possum in the wild, this animal is particular as it is looking like the legendary Pokemon. However, Caroline Dazey from Wildlife Victoria stated that “there are little pockets of them in Victoria and we try to keep their location secret to keep them safe.”
“Of course they’re found in pockets. That’s where pocket monsters live,” added the folks from Kotaku.
In other news, Pokemon Go Community Day of December special event, which allows coaches to capture all the Shiny Pokemon with special moves that have appeared throughout the year, is coming to an end today.
As a passionate gamer since the 1990s, Vadim has kept his passion alive since then, and he is here to cover video games news, as well as to share with you all the novelties out there regarding gadgets or games-related tech.
