A JERSEY photographer has captured what he described as “one of the rarest and most breathtaking” creatures in the ocean – a white humpback whale calf.
Matt Porteous, co-chief executive of conservation charity Ocean Culture Life, snapped the rare whale, known as “Mãhina” (moon in Tonganese), off the coast of an island in Tonga.
The creature had not been seen in the area before August this year.
Mãhina’s white colour is attributed to albinism or leucism, with approximately one in 40,000 humpback whales being born this colour, according to the charity, which added that its hue made them more susceptible to predators.
The female white calf was believed to have been born around the island of Vava’u and was spotted in a “chance encounter”, the charity explained.
“Mãhina and her mother have been on the move around Tonga since August and knowing their whereabouts has been almost impossible. This chance encounter turned what was already an amazing week swimming with humpback whales to something beyond words,” a spokesperson for Ocean Culture Life said.
The whale was filmed swimming with her parents and the resulting footage was shared on Mr Porteous’s social media pages.
“In the turquoise waters of Tonga, we experienced one of the rarest and most breathtaking ocean moments our planet has to offer: swimming with Mãhina, a white humpback whale,” the Instagram post read.
“Her luminous-white body moved gracefully through the deep blue protected by her mother, like a living legend, an angel of the ocean, unfolding before our eyes.
“This was more than just an encounter – [it was] a privilege, a fleeting glimpse into a world few are fortunate to witness.”
