One of the most rare and breathtaking creatures in the ocean has been spotted by a British photographer.
Matt Porteous snapped the white humpback whale calf known as Mãhina.
Its white colour is attributed to albinism or leucism with approximately one in 40,000 humpback whales born this colour.
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Matt is co-chief executive of conservation charity Ocean Culture Life and encountered the calf off the coast of Tonga.
The female calf was believed to have been born around the island of Vava’u and spotted in a chance encounter as reported by What’s The Jam.
The whale was filmed swimming with her parents.
A spokesperson for Ocean Culture Life said: “Mãhina and her mother have been on the move around Tonga since August and knowing their whereabouts has been almost impossible.
“This chance encounter turned what was already an amazing week swimming with humpback whales to something beyond words.
“In the turquoise waters of Tonga, we experienced one of the rarest and most breathtaking ocean moments our planet has to offer: swimming with Mãhina, a white humpback whale.”
They added: “Her luminous-white body moved gracefully through the deep blue protected by her mother, like a living legend, an angel of the ocean, unfolding before our eyes.
“This was more than just an encounter – it was a privilege, a fleeting glimpse into a world few are fortunate to witness.”
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