An albino blue whale was spotted in the waters of Loreto Bay National Park, in Baja California Sur. The National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) reported that this sighting represents an uncommon event for the research and conservation of this species in Mexico. It explained that during the current season, it has identified at least 30 blue whales in this Protected Natural Area. Among the sightings, the presence of a mother with her calf stands out, which confirms Loreto's importance as a key zone for the reproduction and protection of these cetaceans.
Similarly, it explained that one of the most notable characteristics of this season is the behavior of the whales, which, unlike in previous years, are navigating and feeding at short distances from the coast. This phenomenon, it said, is attributed to a massive upwelling of nutrients that has generated a greater availability of krill, the blue whale's main food source, which requires consuming up to four tons daily to survive.
It detailed that this abundance of food near the shore not only facilitates observation but also indicates a healthy and productive marine ecosystem. It added that in addition to blue whales, a constant and abundant presence of humpback and fin whales has been reported, enriching the diversity of cetaceans observable in the park and consolidating Loreto as a global reference point for marine wildlife sighting.
The blue whale, considered the largest species on the planet, is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
What is albinism?
Albinism is a hereditary genetic condition that results in the total or partial absence of melanin, the pigment responsible for color in the skin, eyes, and hair. In the kingdom of cetaceans, this condition is extremely rare, with an estimated incidence in some species of only 0.0025 percent for humpback whales. The most famous records of white whales were limited to other species, such as the iconic humpback whale Migaloo, first sighted in 1991 off the coast of Australia, or that of "Galón de Leche", an albino gray whale observed and filmed since 2008 in Southern California, Mexico, and was even seen swimming with its normally colored calf in 2016.
