A “ghostly-looking” white common dolphin was spotted by charter boats off Dana Point’s coastline on Tuesday, July 23, believed to have leucism, a rare loss of skin pigmentation.
The unusual sighting was reported by Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari, which said the dolphin was seen swimming in a pod with other common dolphins.
“The sighting of this distinct common dolphin is intriguing, as it’s easily found among the pod due to its ghostly appearance,” Capt. Dave’s announcement said. “This dolphin stands out among its species, though at the moment doesn’t have a moniker that would make it a regular recognized visitor to Dana Point.”
Leucism is defined as a partial loss of all types of pigmentation, which causes white coloration, patches, spots, or splotches on the skin or fur of animals. Patchy leucism is the most commonly seen type in animals, but it can also manifest in humans as vitiligo.
“Seeing this rare and unusual dolphin is very special and helps us identify them in the future as well,” says Gisele Anderson, co-president of Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari.
Sightings of leucistic animals of other species have been reported in the area over the years.
There has been Casper, a Risso’s dolphin; Frosty, an orca and Patches, a partially leucistic bottlenose dolphin. All three have developed a fan base.
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