‘Moby Dolphin’ With Stunning Ghost-White Skin Caught On Tape Haunting Coast

May 26, 2021 by apost team

A gorgeous ghost-white dolphin was spotted off the coast of a beach in California. The rare animal was captured on camera on May 14, 2021, and its stunning appearance has since been seen all over the world with the help of the internet. Pictures and videos quickly began circulating following the rare sighting of the Risso’s dolphin in Laguna Beach, California. While it’s not uncommon to see a sea creature like a dolphin while out along the coast, seeing one this color was truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

While not much is known about the rare dolphin that was spotted this day in May, there are plenty of resources and researchers that have helped people understand more about the species. Risso’s dolphins are not rare in their location, and the species is in no danger of becoming wiped out, but the color of this specific one was extremely remarkable.

Surprisingly, this specific dolphin has actually been spotted before. Members of the Newport Coastal Adventure crew have been lucky enough to witness these unique sightings in person as they have spotted a few white Risso’s dolphins over the past few years, including the most recent sighting. The ghost-white skin of this particular dolphin was chilling to look at.

A video of the most recent Risso’s dolphin sighting was uploaded to YouTube on May 14, 2021, showcasing many pictures and video clips of the white dolphin in contrast to the gray ones in its pod. Seeing the group as a whole, especially with the ghostly white dolphin in the mix, is surely something that can’t be missed.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Risso’s dolphins are usually found in temperate and tropical zones in all of the world's oceans. They usually like to be in areas where they can dive at least 1,000 feet, although they are also active on the ocean surface. According to the NOAA, Risso’s dolphins are usually found in the Northern Hemisphere, specifically in the Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, Norway, Japan, Russia and the Red Sea. However, they can also be found in the Southern Hemisphere in areas near Argentina, Chile, Australia and New Zealand.

While not much is known about their migration patterns, the NOAA suggests that they may be impacted by oceanographic conditions and movements of their typical food, spawning squid. These beautiful creatures are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but they are luckily neither endangered nor close to it.

As Risso’s dolphins get older, their coloration changes and lightens from black, dark gray or brown, to pale gray or almost white, according to the NOAA. When they’re adults, they usually look completely white under the water’s surface. Their bodies are usually littered with scars as they most likely will have encountered scratching from other dolphins over the course of their life, as well as marks from prey. This type of dolphin typically receives scratches from other dolphins in its pod due to a particular social behavior, which could account for the lightening of the skin.

Risso’s dolphins can have anywhere from two to seven pairs of peg-like teeth to help capture their prey, although none of them are located in their upper jaw, according to the NOAA. This is an extremely low number of teeth compared to other cetaceans.

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ABC 7 reported that Newport Coastal Adventure crewmembers spotted a group of 40 Risso’s dolphins. The animals were swimming about three miles away from the coast but were easily spotted, especially the stark white one. Jessica Roame, an education manager for Davey’s Locker and Newport Landing Whale Watching, chimed in with her thoughts on the gorgeous creature. According to ABC 7, Roame said that it was unknown whether the dolphin is albino or if it has leucism, a condition that results in the loss of color pigmentation.

A video uploaded to YouTube by Newport Whales showed a variety of still images and video clips that captured the white Risso’s dolphin. According to the video’s description, the crew was able to witness the incredible sighting on May 14, 2021, while near the coast of Laguna Beach. 

While this current sighting is extremely rare, it was not the first time the Newport Coastal Adventure spotted the stunning white Risso’s dolphin. The team spotted the dolphin on July 14, 2020, and it was also seen in San Diego in 2017. According to Newport Whales, there are only two other known pure white Risso’s dolphins in the world. One of them, appropriately named Casper, has been spotted every now and then in Monterey Bay, California.

In the video, the pictures and clips showcased the beautiful appearance of the Risso’s dolphins. While all but one were a shade of gray, each dolphin was extremely elegant and stunning to look at as they swam easily through the free-flowing waters. The contrast between the gray dolphins and the white dolphin was gorgeous to look at, as the white dolphin easily stood out in the group.

What do you think about this sighting? Were you amazed at how ghostly white the dolphin was? Let us know, and be sure to send this along to your family members and friends.