A rare white dolphin was spotted swimming in a Florida canal. Check out this ‘beauty’
A rare sight in a Southwest Florida canal: a white dolphin.
According to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the last time this same guy or gal was seen was about a year ago.
The facility has a nickname for this particular calf: Cherub.
The young dolphin is thought to have hypo-pigmentation, the absence of normal amounts of melanin.
Dolphins are commonly gray, some with shades of blue or green.
The post says “this beauty” was born with normal coloration and has gotten increasingly lighter with time.
It has a scar on its tail, likely a shark bite, but otherwise fine.
That Cherub was traveling with three other dolphins is a great sign, as younger ones rely on their mothers and other adults (called cows and bulls) to learn necessary survival skills.
If you see Cherub, you are asked to give it space and call CMA’s hotline at 727-441-1790, ext. 1, so experts can track the mammal’s health and growth.
One more thing: Don’t give Cherub anything to eat. According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, it is against the law to feed or harass wild dolphins, federally protected animals.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 1:41 PM.
