Pikachu appears in more than simply Pokémon video games, it turns out. The golden beast exists! An orphaned brushtail possum with a vivid yellow coat came to the Boronia Veterinary Clinic in Melbourne a few years ago. The startled employees couldn’t help but refer to her as Pikachu.
The golden possum’s hue is the product of a genetic abnormality; ordinarily, these marsupials are brown. The mutation results in “a low level of the pigment melanin, which gives them their usual color,” according to a Facebook post from the clinic. While we admire the possum’s magnificent coat, the distinctive feature is not optimal while living among other animals. “They are quite scarce in the wild, and while their vivid color makes them stick out to humans, it also makes them shine out to predators!”
Fortunately, the rescued Pikachu has survived. She was given to a carer after spending the night in Boronia and ended up in a wildlife refuge “so she can enjoy a long, happy life.” She isn’t the only golden possum sighting. Wildlife Victoria, a non-profit animal protection organization, receives calls concerning the creatures but does not reveal their whereabouts to keep them safe.
This rare golden possum looks like a Pikachu in real life.
Native to Australia, its coloring is caused by a genetic mutation.
According to the Boronia Veterinary Clinic in Melbourne, the mutation causes “a low level of the pigment melanin, which gives them their usual color.”
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