While Captain Ahab wasn91裸聊视频檛 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.

91裸聊视频淔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,91裸聊视频� said Watson. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 very rare. The last time it was recorded in our population was about 10 years ago, so it91裸聊视频檚 happened before, but it91裸聊视频檚 very uncommon.91裸聊视频�

RELATED:

RELATED:

Watson said it91裸聊视频檚 hard to determine whether it was an actual albino and the reasons why it was white, but genetics could be the reason for the orca91裸聊视频檚 complexion.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a couple of thoughts to it,91裸聊视频� said Watson. 91裸聊视频淣othing91裸聊视频檚 confirmed yet because it takes sampling, that we just don91裸聊视频檛 have access to, so what people are suggesting to us is that it91裸聊视频檚 Chediak-Higashi syndrome, which is a genetic condition that can cause albinism in mammals.91裸聊视频�

As a white orca sighting doesn91裸聊视频檛 happen often, Watson said the tour was abuzz.

91裸聊视频淭here was a ton of excitement,91裸聊视频� said Watson. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 really rare so it91裸聊视频檚 really incredible to get to see it. We weren91裸聊视频檛 really expecting to find something like that, so we were definitely excited.91裸聊视频�

reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on and follow Karl on and