r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/TerraByteTerror • 4h ago

šŸ”„ white orca spotted by Rausu, japan

2.3k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

61 comments sorted by

153

u/TerraByteTerror 4h ago edited 4h ago

The pair of orcas, male and female. Have a genetic condition called Leucism. Which only causes a partial loss of color. The pod doesnt seem to care and treats them normally.

160

u/Comrade-Conquistador 4h ago

They're not racist AND they sink billionaire yachts?

Orcas are better than us.

16

u/Think_Monk_9879 4h ago

From the mola Molas perspective, orcas are like The mongols lmao

8

u/Inner-Arugula-4445 3h ago

And stingrays. Iā€™ve seen many a clip of orcas sending stingrays into the sky.

6

u/Bitter-Value-1872 1h ago

There was just one floating around yesterday where an orca yeeted a pregnant ray into the sky and quite a few little ray fetuses rained down upon the ocean

Censored graphic description

4

u/Weekly-Benefit6075 48m ago

This is metal af

ā€¢

u/Bitter-Value-1872 1m ago

I believe I saw the video on r/natureismetal lol

4

u/sltiefighter 3h ago

They sink small sailing vessels not billionaire yachts

2

u/Spoonbills 1h ago

*so far

I believe in them.

6

u/TheTucsonTarmac 4h ago

Letā€™s wait and see what happens when the all black whales show up before we render a decision

0

u/phriendlyphellow 1h ago

Amazing comment to give the 100th upvote for!

6

u/Head-Ad9893 4h ago

Dolphins?

1

u/langhaar808 3h ago

No orca's, also known as killer whales.

7

u/Head-Ad9893 3h ago

But orcas are dolphins and theyā€™re called killer whales because the first sailors to see them saw them killing whales hence ā€œkiller whaleā€ (rough translation to all timey speak)

1

u/BobbyDukeArts 4h ago

Maybe I'm blind but I only see one leucistic whale. Also, leucism typically causes total color loss

3

u/mtgpowell 3h ago

The first one that comes up is the female id guess as her dorsal fin is much shorter. Second big boy comes up and hes got a giant fin.

1

u/_Steven_Seagal_ 1h ago

What do you mean 'partial' color loss? What would their color be if they'd have full color loss?

1

u/SurayaThrowaway12 56m ago

There is still some pigmentation present on their bodies, as there are still patterns visible, such as their eyepatches and saddle patches. According to photographer Noriyuki Hayakawa, the eyes of at least one of these white orcas appeared black, also indicating some melanin/pigmentation.

-3

u/diesel1889 4h ago

orca arenā€™t whales

2

u/pogoscrawlspace 3h ago

Yes, they are. Orcas are in the Odontoceti, the toothed whales. Odontoceti is is one of two members of the order Cetacea, the whales.

0

u/diesel1889 2h ago

ā€œOrcas are technically the largest members of the oceanic dolphin family, making them both dolphins and a type of toothed whaleā€

7

u/pogoscrawlspace 2h ago

You just said it yourself. Toothed WHALE...

2

u/AmazingFlatworm_ 2h ago

Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit huh.

ā€¢

u/diesel1889 5m ago

it was more to point out we were both right

-1

u/langhaar808 3h ago

There is a reason they are called killer whales...

0

u/diesel1889 3h ago

because they kill whales

42

u/seattlereign001 4h ago

Itā€™s Japan. So they will hunt it and sell the meat?

6

u/SurayaThrowaway12 1h ago

As per marine biology and policy scientist Emma Luck:

Killer whales are no longer hunted or captured in Japan.

Orcas are celebrated in Rausu - this town is home to thriving whale-watching businesses. Additionally, killer whale-themed shops and cafes are scattered throughout the area, emphasizing the importance of killer whales to the local economy.

The last live orca capture in Japan happened in Taiji in 1997.

5

u/bloody_ell 3h ago

They don't hunt orcas. Just Baleen whale species.

10

u/PurpleHumpbackWhale9 3h ago

They also hunt dolphinsā€¦

4

u/bloody_ell 3h ago

And western aquariums and water parks buy them from them, we could curb a fair amount of that disgusting practice by acting at home.

8

u/Gunhild 2h ago

I can be mad at two people at once.

4

u/bloody_ell 1h ago

Oh please do. Just pointing out where the majority of the demand comes from.

4

u/Routine-Tourist69 4h ago

I didn't know towns could see

2

u/OptimusSpud 4h ago

The second one is a big boy! Look at the dorsal!

2

u/dragjamon 3h ago

It's huge!

2

u/souji5okita 2h ago

It's been spotted in Rausu for quite a few years now. Is this a recent video?

2

u/AwokenByGunfire 1h ago

This is how religions are born

2

u/ThePeteEvans 1h ago

Kill it before it eats Captainā€™s leg! Dont want a stoved boat

1

u/JacoRamone 1h ago

Moby Willy

1

u/SurayaThrowaway12 1h ago

At least 3 individuals with the condition have been seen off of northern Japan, and at least 5 (possibly up to 8) such individuals have been seen off of eastern Russia, with one famous individual being adult male CO539 "Iceberg." One more white orca was spotted in the Aleutian Islands back in 2000. These white orcas appear to be members of the fish-eating resident orca subspecies.

There are concerns that there may be inbreeding issues in resident orca populations in the western Pacific due to these multiple white individuals.

Original video was taken by photographer Noriyuki Hayakawa.

1

u/Middle-Package9687 49m ago

Japanese: Ready my knives

ā€¢

u/Patthechild 2m ago

FUUUUCKKKK YOOUU WHAAAAALLLEEE

1

u/NotAcvp3lla 4h ago

Antoine Griezmann every international break.

1

u/anayalator39 3h ago

Powder !

0

u/Any_Swordfish_684 3h ago

How long until its on some fuckers plate!?

0

u/KillerGopher 4h ago

Someone get Captain Ahab on the phone!

0

u/mrfatttty 4h ago

That orca's favorite book is Moby dick.

0

u/Visual-Studio-4238 3h ago

Quick, someone get me my peg leg!

0

u/RoachBeBrutal 1h ago

Near Japan? Fuck when is the whale cull

-1

u/Melodic_Trash_737 4h ago

The white or a leads his 5 troops into battle

-1

u/TheAndymanCan85 3h ago

I canā€™t tell which is white because I donā€™t see color like that. # SoWoke

Also /s

-2

u/Drosenose 4h ago

See everybody's got a little good in them.