Whale watchers witnessed a rare spectacle Tuesday as an incredibly rare white killer whale made its debut off the Southern Coast of California.
Over recent months, whale enthusiasts have been on a high of excitement due to an excess of orca sightings along the SoCal coast, but the appearance of a white orca known as "Frosty" was wildly fascinating for passengers and crew members aboard Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari.
Belonging to a larger pod of Bigg's killer whales, these magnificent animals generally travel up and down the West Coast between Mexico and Canada.
Frosty was previously spotted near Monterey last October, according to KTLA 5, and was first documented by whale watchers in 2019.
Frosty is believed to be leucistic or to have Chediak-Higashi syndrome, both of which involve genetic mutations that affect melanin production.
Chediak-Higashi syndrome, which can also affect humans, potentially causes albinism, continual infections, and nerve damage.
"Frosty's white appearance seems to have little effect on his life in the pod, and as an apex predator, killer whales won't experience the same challenges a prey animal with a white body would", according to a statement from Captain Dave's.
"This year has been extraordinary for whale watchers and operators in the area, as several extended visits early on in the year from a pod of Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales were joined and enhanced by this most recent encounter with transient killer whales," the statement added.
