A unique bottlenose dolphin calf–an albino who experts say may be one-of-a-kind–has taken up residence off Louisiana shores in the Gulf of Mexico, where charter boats and locals alike have been prowling the waters in hopes of a glimpse.

He's not just pink–he's shockingly pink, especially when photographed swimming alongside his gunmetal-gray mother and her pod. The pink dolphin of Calcasieu Lake was first spotted June 17 by Erik Rue, a charter boat captain who operates near Lake Charles, Louisiana.

"I just happened to see a little pod of dolphins, and I noticed one that was a little lighter," Rue told ESPN. He cut his engines, waited for the pod to resurface and, much to the delight of captain and guests, the small pink smiling face appeared again.

"It was absolutely, stunningly pink," said Rue, owner of Calcasieu Charter Service. "I had never seen anything like it. It's the same color throughout the whole body. It looks like it just came out of a paint booth."

RARE BREEDCalcasieu Charter Service

Albino dolphins are rare. Only three have been spotted in the Gulf of Mexico since 1994 and there have only been 14 sightings around the world since 1963.

But albino dolphins that appear to be pink are unheard of, says Patricia Rosel, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) marine biologist who studies the genetic glitches found in bottlenose dolphins.

Among the only pink dolphins known worldwide are the freshwater variety in the Amazon. The boto, as they are called, are the largest river dolphins on the planet. And while they are very pink, they also have gray splotches on their backs and fins.

In Hong Kong lives another type of pink dolphin. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is found all over Asia, but its most well-known population lives in the Pearl River Delta.

The Pearl River dolphins vary in color from snowy white to cotton candy pink, with some yellows and grays thrown in, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Marine pollution and illegal fishing is threatening the existence of the rare dolphins. In 2006, China built a natural sanctuary to protect the species.

Rosel said she's hoping to catch sight of the pink calf, which has been spotted several times since Rue first discovered him.

Dolphin experts said they are certain the calf is an albino. But since most albino dolphins appear white, they say warm Gulf waters may offer an explanation for his unusual coloring.

"Dolphins are like us, when we get hot we get flushed," said Rosel, who works in Louisiana near the Gulf of Mexico. "Since he has no pigment, the capillaries stick out and make him appear pink."

STUDYING ALBINOSCalcasieu Charter Service

Rosel said albino dolphins may be so rare because few survive as long as the pink calf. They "stick out like sore thumbs," making them an easy catch for predators, she said.

Experts don't know much about the health of albino dolphins.

"Basically, what we know about albino dolphins we infer from human albinos," Rosel said. "They tend to have eyesight problems, sensitivity to sunlight. But there are large adult albino dolphins, so there's certainly a precedent for him to grow up."

Rosel cautioned that she's worried people hoping to see the calf will wind up harming him. Experts recommend slowing down when observing exotic marine life like dolphins, whales or manatees, and staying at least 100 yards away. It is illegal to feed, harass or injure a marine mammal.

"He's definitely still a calf swimming with his mom and we don't want them to get separated by a boat or hurt by a propeller," she said.

Still, it is not certain that the rare and beautiful pink dolphin will stay in the waters of Louisiana, or whether he and his pod will move on.

"Some bottlenose dolphins tend to stick to one area, others are broad-ranging," Rosel said. "I hope he hangs around so we can watch him."