Very rare white killer whales found

Recently, scientists have discovered an extremely rare missing all-encompassing albino whale of the past four years reappeared off the Russian Kuril Islands.

The white killer whale is the most ferocious carnivorous mammal in the ocean, living in all the world's oceans from the Arctic Ocean and Antarctic to the warm tropical waters.

Olga Filatova, Far East Russia Orca Project

Killer whales often hunt fish and marine mammals such as sea lions, seals, whales and sharks as well. Killer whales are top-notch predators and no natural enemies are worthy of being outside of humans. Male killer whales are about 6-8m in size, weigh more than 6 tons; And the killer whale is smaller than 5-7m long and weighs 4-5 tons. The average life of a killer whale is about 30, particularly males can live up to 50-60 years old.

Six years ago, on August 11, 2010, while scientists were studying whales in the western Pacific , there was a very strange whale: a white killer whale The male body is named Iceberg . Two days later, this white killer whale reappeared with a large group of killer whales - including another white whale.

In fact, for years, researchers have met no less than 5 - perhaps 8 white killer whales in the western Pacific. Mostly, they do not appear in other oceans in the world. The strange thing is that they only appear in a separate area, causing scientists to worry about inbreeding .

" The things we are worried about are very strange, but the odds are very high, " said Erich Hoyt at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Foundation in Whort, UK. Far East Russia Orca Project " Whale in the Far East Russia " Project .

American researcher Hoyt and his colleagues estimate that in that area there are thousands of killer whales - which means that a killer whale can produce at least 1,000 individual whales. " In other areas, when studying the killer whale, they have no history in history or only one or two white killer whales, " Hoyt said.

Hoyt and his colleagues have yet to find a way to get the genetic pattern of any white killer whale, so there is no clear reason to explain the color of this whale. A possible possibility - this white killer whale is albino - a common occurrence due to inbred mammals ( inbreeding ).

However, to explain exactly the question: " Why are white killer whales in the western Pacific being bred along the same line? " Remains a mystery. " They are not what we think, that orca species often interbreed. Some whale populations in the eastern Pacific contain only a few dozen individuals ."

The killer whale consists of 5 different Orca species, some of which can be separated into breeds, subspecies or even a separate species. The killer whale has its own culture: complex social behavior, hunting techniques, communication sounds.

Perhaps, Orca's basic culture is still a mystery. Assassin whales often live in groups with their own easily identifiable characteristics associated with their hunting techniques.

Olga Filatova, Far East Russia Orca Project

Earlier this year, Andrew Foote of the University of Bern, Switzerland and his colleagues showed a common difference in the individual culture of each group - helping us to distinguish the differences and evolution of fish. elephant - called the second mammal. The first is humanity.

" Often the characteristics of populations are given to classify neighboring populations and it is unclear why that is. But it helps towards populations of in-line mating, " Foote said.

If these white whales themselves were white, the problem of blood circulation would harm their health. Like white whales that live in captivity - a killer whale named Chimo - suffering from albinism weakens health and reduces average life expectancy. "This killer whale died when only 3 or 4 years old, " Hoyt said.

Although, the state of water in the western Pacific Ocean may change.In July 2015,Iceberg 's white killer whale returned. Hoyt and his colleagues expected at least Iceberg to be about 22 years old. "It is good news that it is still as healthy as we hope . "

Below is a rare whale video clip that is playing with my mother off Australia.