Amazing spectacle as rare white dolphin flips out of water

By Dean Murray via SWNS

All white, what a sight!

A wildlife photographer captured an amazing spectacle when a rare WHITE Risso's dolphin flipped out of the water.

Jay Spring was enjoying a Californian boat tour last month when he found himself lucky to be facing the right way as the distinctive creature breached.

Jay, from Mission Viejo, said: "On 22 June, I was out on a whale watching boat with Captain Dave's Whale Watching out of Dana Point, when we came across a pod of about 30 to 40 Risso's dolphins just cruising around the boat.

"This is unusual as Risso's dolphins are not known to be boat friendly like other dolphin species.

"Thunderstorms had just moved through the area when suddenly a rare, almost all white individual started breaching.

A wildlife photographer captured an amazing spectacle when a rare WHITE Risso's dolphin flipped out of the water. (Jay Spring via SWNS)

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"I could not believe what I was seeing and luckily I was looking the right way at the right time and was able to get some pictures of him.

"I later learned this is Blanco, the rare leucistic Risso's dolphin.

"This dolphin has a form of leucism, which gives this individual its completely white coloring, outlined with thin black piping along with the head, pectoral fins, and fluke.

"I have been told that no one has gotten a picture of him/her breaching, but I have been unable to confirm this.

"I have been photographing wildlife since 2016 as a retirement hobby. I primarily photograph birds but in the past year have gotten into whales and dolphins.

"I am a technical person by nature and never thought I would enjoy photography so much."

Risso’s dolphins usually have a distinctive grey body which over time becomes covered in scars.

They are named after Antoine Risso, whose study of the animal formed the basis of the recognized description by Georges Cuvier in 1812.