From the archives: This story was last updated in May 2019.
If you spend enough time on the Calcasieu River near Lake Charles, Louisiana, chances are you’ll have spotted a rare specimen in the company of a pod of dolphins. “Pinky” the dolphin, as she’s called, is exactly like her name suggests: a bright-pink-colored member of the playful, intelligent aquatic mammal.For years, the legendary pink dolphin has captivated visitors on the Calcasieu Ship Channel, just a few miles south of Lake Charles. Local charter boat captain Erik Rue claims to be the first to catch sight of Pinky in June 2007. The curious creature, he recounts, would swim as close as 10 feet from his boat at times. He even caught her photograph while she was swimming with her pod around Lake Charles.
