Look at Frosty go! Watch as rare white orca is spotted swimming off the California coast
- A video taken by Evan Brodsky of the Monterrey Bay Whale Watch shows the white orca swimming with its mom and peers on Nov. 24.
- The orca's pale complexion may be due to leucism or Chediak-Higashi Syndrome.
- Previous whales with Chediak-Higashi Syndrome have not lived past the age of five.
Whale watchers in northern California were treated with a sighting of a very pale orca nicknamed Frosty.
A video taken by Evan Brodsky of the Monterrey Bay Whale Watch shows the white orca swimming with its mom and peers on Nov. 24.
In an Instagram post, Brodsky said the nickname Frosty was given to the young orca due to its white complexion. He said the complexion could be possibly connected to leucism or Chediak-Higashi Syndrome, which are conditions involving the loss of pigmentation.
"The other previous two whales that have been confirmed to have this Chediak Higashi syndrome didn’t survive beyond the age of 5,” Brodsky said. “So it’s always a true gift and celebration anytime anyone on the West Coast sees Frosty.”
Watch Frosty swim in the sea
In the video, Frosty is shown swimming with his peers off the California coast. The majority of its skin has a white complexion.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for Paste BN. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.