RARE Albino Dolphin Spotted, And It’s Hard To Believe It’s Real

Albino animals in the wild are hard to find, albino sea creatures are even more elusive.

So you can imagine the excitement from some lucky whale watchers who caught a glimpse of a pure white dolphin in the open ocean.

According to Live Science, the young white dolphin was spotted in California’s Monterey Bay during a Blue Ocean Whale Watch boat tour. Some even managed to catch a video of the rare creature.

 

“Albinism in the wild is incredibly rare, and I believe this is the only known albino Risso’s dolphin in the eastern Pacific,”

The species was identified as a Risso dolphin, and according to one of the tour co-owners, this wasn’t the first time that this dolphin was been spotted in the area.

The unique dolphin was approx three-year-old at the time of the sighting. It was previously seen when it was a baby and has clearly grown into a healthy young juvenile.

The dolphin was swimming in a pod of around 50 other dolphins during the latest sighting.

Albino animals are white or pink, this is due to the cells that usually produce melanin are not doing their job very well.

Melanin is the pigment that gives skin, hair and eyes it’s coloration. This means albino animals usually have pink eyes as well as the red blood vessels in the dolphins retina reflect light into the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

Normal animals have melanin in their pupils which absorbs incoming light, keeping it from reflecting off of the retina.

The white dolphin may look cute, but albino animals are often riddled with health problems.
Advertisement

“Albino animals may be more prone to skin problems because there’s no melanin to protect the skin from UV [ultraviolet] rays, and they can have poor eyesight and hearing,” Cummings said. “As far as we can tell, this juvenile appears healthy,” said Kate Cummings, co-owner of the whale-watching company.

“Risso’s dolphins often form nursery pods, which consist of mothers and their calves,” Cummings said. “They were most likely on the hunt for squid, their favorite food source.”

Related Posts

Heroic Mother: Without ever letting her five puppies go hungry, the dog endured months of starvation and freezing conditions

The heart-wrenching story of Celeste, a dedicated mother dog, has deeply moved people worldwide. At the tender age of two, Celeste found herself abandoned, pregnant, and alone….

On his first-ever birthday celebrated at the animal shelter, the homeless dog couldn’t hold back tears of joy

As the saying goes, a dog is often considered a man’s best friend. But what happens when a dog finds itself abandoned, without a family, friends, or…

A small girl bravely makes her way through the thick snow to seek assistance for her ailing dog companion

People often go to great lengths to ensure the well-being of their cherished animal companions, and a young girl’s brave journey through the deep and treacherous winter…

The adorable infant gazed at individuals with teary eyes, while his tiny face puffed up resembling a ballooning cutie

In today’s world, there are numerous delightful pets. Puppies, with their endearing mix of playfulness and mischief, can sometimes get into trouble if they’re not watched closely….

A compassionate dog mom, who delivered her puppies on the street, was rescued along with her precious pups just in the nick of time

She didn’t choose the life of the streets; someone had abandoned her earlier. However, when the realization of impending motherhood struck, there was no escaping the harsh…

A courageous guide dog saved his blind owner on a subway track, inspiring the community with their unwavering loyalty and bond

In a touching narrative of unwavering loyalty and courage, Cecil Williams, a visually impaired man, found himself in a harrowing predicament when he lost consciousness and tumbled…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *