About 5% of southern right whale calves are born white, although that is a rough statistic which varies from year to year, study to study and which population is studied (Argentina or South Africa). A white calf is not an albino though, since it lacks the pink eyes of true albinism and will soon darken to gray and eventually nearly black. In many cases, adult whales that were formerly white calves can be identified by their gray rather than black appearance. One such is pictured below: El Copulador (named by my friend Adriana Basques!), an adult male whale who remains very light gray, almost white, as an adult. The best article I have read on this topic dates to 1999 and involves some of the foremost whale researchers in the world: Dorsal Skin Color Patterbs Among Southern Right Whales. White coloration at birth involves recessive alleles — it is a type of recessive genetic trait — and the specifics are well explained in the article in language that is beyond me. “White calf” is also referred to as a “gray morph” in the paper, which is probably a better formal term. Here are a few images of white southern right whale calves. All these images were made in Golfo Nuevo on Peninsula Valdes on the coast of Argentina. Cheers, and thanks for looking!
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
Image ID: 35908
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
Image ID: 38279
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
Image ID: 38261
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
Image ID: 38434
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Aerial view of mother and white calf, Southern right whale, Argentina.
Image ID: 35912
Species: Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
White southern right whale calf underwater, Eubalaena australis. About five per cent of southern right whales are born white due to a condition known as grey morphism and will gradually turn dark as they age. They are not albino (which is a complete lack of pigmentation). Sometimes referred to as "brindled", the white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically, but not always, white calves will become much darker as they mature but will still somewhat lighter than normal even as adults.
Image ID: 38278
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Courting group of southern right whales, aerial photo. Mating may occur as a result of this courting and social behavior. The white whale seen here is a serious player named El Copulador (the copulator) and is often seen in mating and courting groups of southern right whales at Peninsula Valdes. His light coloration is an indication that he was a white calf, but he did not darken as he aged in the way most white southern right whale calves do.
Image ID: 38360
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Aerial view of mother and white calf, Southern right whale, Argentina.
Image ID: 35927
Species: Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Aerial view of mother and white calf, Southern right whale, Argentina.
Image ID: 35928
Species: Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
White southern right whale calf underwater, eyeball, Eubalaena australis, Argentina.
Image ID: 35963
Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
