Aerial photo of White Southern Right Whale calf with its mother

Aerial photo of white Southern Right Whale calf with its mother. The mother is gray in color, rather than dark black, since she was a white calf herself and gradually darkened to gray as she matured. 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). The white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically white calves become much darker as they mature but will still be lighter than normal even as adults. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA., Eubalaena australis, natural history stock photograph, photo id 41180
Aerial photo of white Southern Right Whale calf with its mother. The mother is gray in color, rather than dark black, since she was a white calf herself and gradually darkened to gray as she matured. 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). The white coloration is a recessive genetic trait and only lasts a few months. Typically white calves become much darker as they mature but will still be lighter than normal even as adults. By permission of the Government of Argentina, Chubut, permit # 51 / 2025-SsCyA.

Species: Southern Right Whale, Eubalaena australis
Location: Puerto Piramides, Chubut, Argentina
Image ID: 41180
Lat/Long: -42.54621, -64.33067 (Coordinates: 42° 32' 46.35" S, 64° 19' 50.42" W)
Format: Digital 3:4
Keywords: aerial, animal, animalia, argentina, atlantic, baby, balaenidae, calf, cetacean, chordata, chubut, eubalaena australis, mammal, mammalia, marine mammal, mother, patagonia, peninsula valdes, puerto piramides, right whale, southern right whale, valdes peninsula, whale
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This professional quality stock photo can be licensed in high resolution form by contacting the photographer: Phillip Colla, photos@oceanlight.com, (760) 707-7153, more info and photographer bio.