A photographer recently captured a rare moment when he spotted a white orca jumping out of the ocean with its pod. A Japanese whale-watcher recorded the breathtaking sight on video. According to reports, the killer whale appeared off the coast of Hokkaido, a volcanic island in Japan.
Soon after the encounter last year, Noriyuki Hayakawa, the photographer, shared photos and a video on his Instagram page. However, the stunning visuals have only recently caught people’s attention.
In the caption of his video, translated from Japanese, Hayakawa wrote, “It is believed that the discovery was ‘Sightseeing Boat’. I was on the ‘Shiretoko Nature Cruise Evergreen38’. This is the first white orcas I’ve come across after 15 years of photographing Rajan orcas. Thank you to the Lajan tourist boat staff for showing me.”
In the video, a group of killer whales can be seen leaping out of the water. However, one whale looks completely different. While the others have black bodies with white patches, this one is entirely white.
Is It Really an Albino?
At first glance, the white orca may seem like an albino. However, Daily Mail clarified that the whale is not a “true albino.” True albinos lack melanin completely. Instead, this orca is leucistic, meaning it has reduced pigmentation but not a total absence of color.
Photographer Shares His Excitement
Speaking about the encounter, Hayakawa told Daily Mail, “My legs were shaking with excitement. It was the first time in my life I’d seen a white orca. I was desperate to get a shot, they swim fast and only surface for a moment.”
Moreover, he explained how much the experience meant to him. “This photo means so much to me,” he said. “I’ve spent over a decade photographing orcas and this is the first white one I’ve ever seen.”
Finally, he expressed his hope that more people would appreciate the rare sight. “I hope as many people as possible get to see it and appreciate how rare and beautiful these animals are,” he added.
