Five dark-colored predators torpedo through the water. A flash of white flanks their right side.
It was an “amazing sight” — a white orca named “Frosty” — swimming with five other killer whales in California, according to an Oct. 16 Monterey Bay Whale Watch Facebook post. Frosty possibly has leucism or a syndrome called Chediak-Higashi.
Leucism causes white coloration on the skin, according to the National Park Service. Chediak-Higashi is a syndrome that causes reduced pigment in the skin and eyes, experts with the National Organization of Rare Disorders said.
“The whales hunted an elephant seal and at least one California sea lion, breaching and prey sharing with the carcass,” the tour agency wrote in its post. “What an incredible and rare encounter!”
Frosty’s mom was among the group of sea creatures, according to the post. Frosty is about 4 years old, and the last time it was spotted with its mom in Monterey Bay they were with the same group of killer whales.
Photos shared by the agency in a separate Facebook post show Frosty and its mom swimming together. The duo have similar dorsal fins and “huge eyepatches,” the post said.
“Frosty is such a beautiful little whale and we are so lucky we got to see him/her,” the agency wrote in the post.
Social media users shared their excitement about the sighting.
“So special out there today! What a tremendous amazing gift,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“So beautiful and amazing,” another commenter said.
