A rare white orca calf has been spotted off the coast of southern California.
“It’s already rare to see orcas in this area, let alone a white one,” said Mark Girardeau, an experienced drone pilot and wildlife photographer based in Orange County.
This orca, nicknamed Frosty, is thought to have a condition known as leucism, which is a lack of pigment. The orca was born like this and is one of only a few in the world with this condition.
This pod of killer whales is known by researchers as the CA216, which are a transient type of orca seen between Mexico and Canada. This leucistic orca is likely around 4 years old.
The rare sight was captured on Sunday, April 23. Girardeau was boating with whale watching tour agency Newport Coastal Adventure, which operates out of Newport Beach.
In a Facebook post, the group wrote:
