This close-up image shows the hand of a gorilla named Anaka, who is known for the exceptional pink coloring on her fingers due to vitiligo. The pink hue creates a striking similarity to a human hand.
Gorillas are known for their myriad of human-like qualities, and a photo from the Zoo Atlanta shows that they have skin conditions just like humans. Anaka, a Western Lowland Gorilla, has pink pigmentation on her normally dark fingers. At first glance, the incredible close-up shot of her hand might have you mistake Anaka for a human hand with vitiligo, but it is actually the hand of this beautiful gorilla.
The photograph of Anaka’s hand highlights its finer details. From it, we can see the creases in her fingers and short nails. “You can always pick her out of Taz’s family group because of the unique pink pigmentation on her fingers,” says Zoo Atlanta.
Despite Anaka being a gorilla, she has a personality that’s relatable to us humans, too. According to the Zoo Atlanta, she is “often barking at her mom and others for food and juice.” She can also be seen hitching a piggyback ride on her siblings. Does that sound like a little sister you know?
Anaka is a gorilla with vitiligo living at the Zoo Atlanta. The color variance is apparent in the pink pigmentation on her fingers.
Not so long ago, there was a fun party at Zoo Atlanta: their gorilla Anaka celebrated her 6th birthday. To commemorate the joyous occasion, the employees at the facility snapped a couple of pics of the big girl and shared them on Facebook. People started sending their best wishes. However, while congratulating Anaka, those who were more observant noticed an interesting detail.
The gorilla has a unique patch of pigment on her hand. In the close-up picture of the pink patch, it even looks remarkably human-like. Which is understandable, considering that gorillas have opposable thumbs. Interestingly, like all primates, they also have individualized fingerprints and toeprints, which sometimes may be used for identification purposes. Unlike most animals we’re used to seeing, primates have fingernails and toenails rather than claws. They are used for opening and scraping things, cleaning, and scratching.
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
According to the zoo, not only is Anaka’s skin unique, but her personality is as well. “[She’s] often barking at her mom and others to get a prime spot for food and juice,” they wrote on their website. “She is often seen riding piggyback on her brother and sisters.”
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Some people were thinking Anaka has vitiligo, a long-term skin condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment. But Morena Lale commented that she wrote to the zoo about it and they didn’t confirm it, “I asked this question … and this is their reply: ‘Well, her skin pigment has always been like that and hasn’t changed over the years, so we think it’s just a cool birthmark.’” To learn more about Anaka’s distinctive feature, Bored Panda has reached out to Zoo Atlanta as well.
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Image credits: Zoo Atlanta
Here’s what people said about Anaka and her unique feature
