Rare white dolphin spotted swimming near Clearwater Causeway
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A boater captured a video of a rare white dolphin swimming near the Clearwater Causeway.
WFLA viewer Alanah Carew shared a video of the dolphin swimming with another bottlenose dolphin.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, very little is known about albino dolphins due to their “extreme rarity.”
“Most forms of albinism are a result of the biological inheritance of genetically recessive genes passed from both parents to an individual, though some rare forms are inherited from only one parent,” NOAA said. “This genetic trait is characterized by white or light skin and hair, the appearance of pink or red eye coloring and often-impaired vision.”
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the dolphin may be male because male dolphins of the same age “form a lifelong pair bond and spend the majority of their time together, helping each other find suitable food and mates.”
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