Amazing Baby White Orca Seen Off the Coast of California

Once-in-a-lifetime footage was captured of an extremely rare white orca that was seen in California this past Sunday.

White Killer Whale Sighting in California

Back in August of 2019, a baby white orca was sighted along with his mother. They were seen just off the coast of California. He was quickly named “Frosty” by California residents for his white appearance on his smooth skin. He was reportedly out hunting with his mother and a group of other killer whales, otherwise known as orcas. As a newborn, he would not be able to hunt for food on his own. He was likely tagging along with his mother and group to learn how it is done.

Since 2019, Frosty has only been seen a handful of times. Well, just a few days ago, on October 15, 2023, Frosty was spotted. He was seen on California’s Monterey Bay swimming along with a pod of orcas who were out hunting again.

Back in August of 2022, Frosty was seen via a drone in Alert Bay, in British Columbia. He was a little thin-looking, which was a cause of concern to the residents who had grown to love him. An Oceanwise Researcher stated on social media the following.

“The measurements of ‘Frosty’ indicate that this animal is quite thin. Having said that, killer whales around this age will often go through a thin period as they are weaned off their mothers milk and then start to fill out in subsequent years.”

But, as we can see through the years, Frosty, at four years old, has remained quite healthy. It was reported that when he was sighted with his pod. They were out hunting for elephant seals and California sea lions.

How Rare is a White Orca?

To see a white orca is extremely rare and not something you will see very often. According to Live Science, there are two conditions that can give killer whales that incomplete white color look.

“One of these is leucism, which is a genetic condition that causes some or all of an animal’s cells to stop producing melanin — a pigment that gives an animal’s skin, hair, feathers and eyes color. The other condition is Chediak-Higashi syndrome, a very rare, recessive genetic disorder that also affects melanin production.”

How Many Orcas Live in California?

Orcas, killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the family Delphinidae, reside in oceans all over the world. These large whales only have about 90,000 left in their population. Their conservation status is considered to be endangered. It is estimated that there are only about 300 that are left in California, according to the California Whale Project.