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u/ThaEmortalThief 4h ago
Whooaaa I was watching and was like… wtf? And then it appeared. That was trippy. Never seen one.
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u/Papa_Raj 3h ago
As someone who grew up a token white boy on a reservation I'd be careful around the white ones. They may have something to prove to the rest of the pod. /s
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u/HairyDust4826 5h ago
They're probably running away, remembering the prior generation from Japan not being so friendly to their family.
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 46m ago
These Japanese orcas are actually known for being quite curious about whale watching vessels. If they remember their ancestors being hunted, they likely recognize that whale watching ships pose no threat to them unlike those of whalers.
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 2h ago
Original video in better quality, taken by photographer Noriyuki Hayakawa (shiretoko_orca_photo_album).
Here is his account:
June 17, 2024, 2:46 PM I encountered a white orca off the coast of Rausu, Hokkaido. It may be the same individual as the two white orcas sighted in 2021. It is believed that the “Hamanasu” sightseeing boat made the discovery. I was aboard the “Shiretoko Nature Cruise Evergreen 38.” I’ve been photographing orcas off the coast of Rausu for 15 years, and this is the first white orca I’ve ever encountered. I’m grateful to the staff of the Rausu sightseeing boat for showing it to me.
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u/Finkel_zero 1h ago
So he will be already dead or soon. I heard Japanes dudes thinking white fish gives bigger pipii
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u/superpowerpinger 4h ago
Japanese wont hunt them down?
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u/TerminatedPotato 4h ago
Orcas aren't poached the way elephants and rhinos are as they're really difficult to hunt making it extremely impractical.
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u/humtaro 3h ago
It’s also really hard to find elephants and rhinos in Japan.
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u/TerminatedPotato 3h ago
Is it though? I mean I can appreciate a smartass comment as much as anyone but Japan keeps their rhinos and elephants organized much like we do in the US. Because they keep them in zoos and enclosures. It's not like Africa or other parts of Asia where they're native. I get what you're trying to say though.
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u/SurayaThrowaway12 45m ago
They won't. As stated by marine 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.
The whale species still hunted in Japan are rorquals such as minke, sei, and fin whales caught by commercial whaling vessels, as well as various smaller dolphin species caught in Taiji.
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u/TerraByteTerror 5h ago
The pair of whales 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.