By Hayley Pugh These are the incredible images of an extremely rare PINK dolphin making a splash in Brazil. The pretty in pink creature, which usually hides deep in the Rio Negro river, was spotted leaping out of the Amazonian water brandishing its bizarre bright bubblegum colour. Weighing in at whopping 21 stone the curious creature, known as an Amazon Pink River Dolphin, looked unusually agile as it rose above the waves to greet stunned tourist, Michel Watson. And the mesmerising mammal seemed to be more than happy to pose for pictures as a shocked Michel snapped away. The 66-year-old, from France, managed to quickly capture several images of the elusive freshwater dolphin before it disappeared back into the water along with a friend. Michel said it was the first time he had seen the mysterious mammal and it was an experience he wouldn't forget. He said: "I was thrilled when I saw it. I was so happy because they don't usually jump a lot and don't normally play like the common marine dolphin so it was quite unusual. "I believe their skin is thinner than that of a normal dolphin so the blood vessels are just under the skin which gives it the pink colour. They sort of look like pigs with long beaks." The Amazon Pink River Dolphin is the largest freshwater dolphin in the world and can grow up to nine feet long. Despite being bright pink, the dolphin is unable to appreciate colour as it has very poor vision and is practically blind. The potentially endangered aquatic mammals rely on an internal sonar system to manoeuvre under water and find food. Historically, the Amazon Pink River Dolphin, also known as the Boto, has been spared by humans because of the belief that it has special powers. However, today they are increasingly viewed by fishermen as an unwanted competitor for fish and are also at risk of getting tangled up in fishing nets. Researchers believe that they are declining at a rate of 10 per cent each year. Scientists do not know exactly know why the dolphins are pink. However, they believe that the coloration is due in part to the dolphin's diet of crabs and shell fish as well as the presence of a large number of blood capillaries near the surface of the dolphin's skin. The unique animals are known to flush an even brighter shade of pink when they are excited. ENDS