Staff and guests were excited to observe a white Atlantic Spotted dolphin this morning. Traveling within a group of several hundred Spotted dolphins the all white colour of the dolphin was very distinct. This is the first time we have seen this dolphin – a colleague has shared information of such a sighting in the Azores Islands to the north of the Canary Islands.

This is not an albino dolphin, but most likely the result of a leucism, where pigment is missing in the animals skin. Leucism is a condition where there is partial loss of pigmentation in the skin. But it does not necessarily translate to poor health. The dolphin was observed to be robust and to the casual observation – healthy.

Thank you to all the guests who joined our small group whale and dolphin watching eco-adventures today! It was thrilling to observe such a rare white dolphin together. Additionally we encountered a Fin whale, a Bryde’s whale and numerous Pilot whales, Common dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins and hundreds of Spotted dolphins today.