Who says you need genetic engineering to make animals turn funny colors!
Well, the problem is that even if it were somehow possible for a medication to alter the bear's fur colour, it would only affect the fur currently being produced by the follicles. Not the previously existing fur, which isn't actually, y'know, alive.
Otherwise, cool bear.
Oh, unless it was topical. Bah.
Oh, unless it was topical. Bah.
It's The Endtimes! Polar Bears turning Purple!
If this photo is real, i'll swallow my shoe! :-) Seriously, i've never ever read a news item on Ananova that didn't look suspiciously like a fabrication. As a matter of fact, I always google an Ananova's story and, lo and behold, I,ve never found evidence taht the story is real...
They sometimes lift stories from the New York Sun or the Weekly World News, and other journals of record.
There is film footage of the bear, so no photoshop.
The photo is fake. It isn't even a polar bear - prolly just some russian brown bear
I would have to agree with Hot Soup Girl. If the medication was given orally, you would expect each subsequent hair to be purple. The new hair replacing the old would be purple, but I think it would look matted rather than the whole bear being one consistent color like in the picture. If it was given topically, it seems too consistent. People aren't perfect, so they would put more in one area than the next. My conclusion -- probably a hoax.
The medication WAS topical. The bear is in a temporary cage such that it cant go for a swin and so wash off the substance prematurely.
I believe the polar bear was treated with Gentian Violet, a topical treatment for dermatitis, an atifungal, which turned its fur purple/violet. I dn't think it is anything more mysterious or neferious than that
looks like a muppet. i want one!! of course i want a red monkey too.
hmm the image does seem photoshopped a bit...