While Captain Ahab wasn含羞草研究社檛 present, a whale-watching tour did happen to find a white whale close to Nanaimo during an excursion yesterday.

Vancouver Island Whale Watch posted photos on social media after coming across a white orca Tuesday, and Val Watson, a marine naturalist with the Nanaimo-based company on the mid-day tour, said it is not an everyday occurrence.

含羞草研究社淔or the tour we saw humpbacks and on the way back, about five minutes outside of Nanaimo, we came across a pod of orca and within that pod of orca there was a white individual,含羞草研究社� said Watson. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very rare. The last time it was recorded in our population was about 10 years ago, so it含羞草研究社檚 happened before, but it含羞草研究社檚 very uncommon.含羞草研究社�

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Watson said it含羞草研究社檚 hard to determine whether it was an actual albino and the reasons why it was white, but genetics could be the reason for the orca含羞草研究社檚 complexion.

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 a couple of thoughts to it,含羞草研究社� said Watson. 含羞草研究社淣othing含羞草研究社檚 confirmed yet because it takes sampling, that we just don含羞草研究社檛 have access to, so what people are suggesting to us is that it含羞草研究社檚 Chediak-Higashi syndrome, which is a genetic condition that can cause albinism in mammals.含羞草研究社�

As a white orca sighting doesn含羞草研究社檛 happen often, Watson said the tour was abuzz.

含羞草研究社淭here was a ton of excitement,含羞草研究社� said Watson. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 really rare so it含羞草研究社檚 really incredible to get to see it. We weren含羞草研究社檛 really expecting to find something like that, so we were definitely excited.含羞草研究社�

reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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