The real-life Moby Dick? White killer whale spotted in 'extremely rare' sighting
The orca has been nicknamed Frosty because of his ghostly white colour
A GHOSTLY white killer whale has been caught on camera in awe-inspiring footage of a real-life Moby Dick encounter.
The “extremely rare” orca – nicknamed Frosty because of its snow-white flesh – was spotted on Monday off Newport Beach in the US state of California.
It was part of a pod of roughly seven orcas, seen nine miles offshore by the crew of the Catallac, a whale-watching vessel operated by Davey’s Locker and Newport Landing.
Captain Dani Fasser said: “We got extremely lucky, and were able to locate a pod of at least five to seven orcas, one of which was a four-year-old calf named Frosty, after its milky-white appearance.
“The passengers watched in awe as the killer whales cruised right underneath the boat!
“The orcas were feeding on a beach-ball sized chunk of an unknown animal – likely a dolphin or small whale, and were passing it back and forth feeding together.
“Sightings of killer whales are few and far between along the southern California coastline, so it was a very special encounter.”
Video courtesy Mark Girardeau/Dani Fasser/Newport Coastal Adventure
In footage of the encounter, the orca’s pale flesh evokes the white whale described in Herman Melville’s 1851 novel, Moby Dick.
The animal is seen diving, and surfacing again, the colour of its body standing out in stark contrast to its companions.
Jessica Roame, education manager with Davey’s Locker & Newport Landing, said a genetic condition was the likeliest explanation for the creature’s ghostly complexion.
She said: “It is suspected that this orca may have a rare genetic disease called leucism, a condition that results in partial loss of pigmentation.
“This causes white, pale, or patchy colouration of skin, hair, feathers, or scales, but not the eyes.
“It’s extremely rare – information I’ve read suggests that scientists have documented only about 10 white orcas recorded in history.
“Because there are so few white killer whales, there isn't a lot of information known about their specific genetic condition.”
She added: “Frosty’s white colouration is so striking in person that it produces a beautiful green glow underwater.
“So you can still see this whale easily as it swims beneath the surface.”
For passengers and crew alike, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Jessica said: “When Captain Fasser first noticed the bushy blows out of the corner of her eye, she thought, ummm, that’s not a dolphin spout, or a baleen whale spout.
“As she focused her binoculars on the spouts from the killer whales, she knew exactly what she was looking at and exclaimed ‘oh my god! It’s finally happening’.
“Being in the presence of such powerful and beautiful animals is something that is unexplainable, and literally takes your breath away.
“I know many people will walk away from this experience with so much gratitude in their hearts for the wonders of the ocean.”