Rare white killer whale surfaces next to ‘lucky and thrilled’ boaters off CA. See it

Once in a blue moon, boaters off California catch a glimpse of a famous but elusive white killer whale.

Frosty, as it is affectionately named, was spotted on Sept. 12 by whale watchers with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

“We were incredibly lucky and thrilled to encounter a rare (mostly) white killer whale CA216C1 Frosty!” the organization said in a post on Facebook.

The cause of Frosty’s unique coloration is still a mystery. According to the whale watch group, the condition has been documented in killer whales before.

The killer whale’s uncommon look “results from a genetic condition that could either be leucism or a rare condition known as Chediak Higashi syndrome which affects the immune and nervous systems resulting in partial albinism,” the organization said.

In 2022, the Oceanic Society wrote about a Frosty sighting, saying only five or six killer whales in the world have leucism, which results in the animals losing some of their pigmentation.

Photos posted by the organization show Frosty and its pod mates weaving the ocean surface on an overcast day.

Killer whales, or orcas as they are often called, are usually mostly black with white around their eyes and bellies. They are highly social ocean predators that live and travel in groups, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Killer whales rely on underwater sound to feed, communicate, and navigate,” says NOAA. “Pod members communicate with each other through clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls.”

In fact, each pod in the North Pacific has a unique set of calls that it learns like family-specific anthems. These anthems bond the group and are passed on to younger members.

This story was originally published September 16, 2024 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Rare white killer whale surfaces next to ‘lucky and thrilled’ boaters off CA. See it."