Iceberg, the White Killer Whale, May Have Visited Alaska in 2000 and 2008
Posted on April 26, 2012
An all-white orca bull, nicknamed Iceberg, was recently observed by scientists in the North Pacific, east of the Kamchatka Peninsula, near the Commander Islands. The scientists from universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg say the male orca (or killer whale) is probably albino.
News and photos of the white orca discovery have since viraled around the Internet. The scientists have posted a collection of photographs of Iceberg here.
National Geographic reports that Iceberg could be the same white killer whale spotted in 2000 and 2008 in Alaska. It is not unusual for them to travel large distances. The Seattle Times has an article with a photos of the white killer whale spotted near Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
Iceberg's health is also a surprise to the scientists. Animals with Chediak-Higashi syndrome, a condition that affects coloration, also usually comes with problems, such as immune and nervous system issues, that make it difficult for them to live very long.
Take a look: