14/06/2026
One of the rarest animals on our planet.
Meet Mãhina, the luminescent all white humpback whale calf.
Mãhina (meaning “moon” in Tongan) was born near to the islands of Vava’u and was first seen in August this year. Her complexion is so illuminating and glowing white she appears like a bright full moon underwater.
Last week I had the completely unexpected privilege of meeting and interacting with Mãhina face to face, an encounter of a lifetime and a privilege truly beyond words. There is an estimated 150,000 humpback whales in our oceans, of which perhaps only 3 or 4 individuals share this rare genetic white complexion.
Like many young humpback calves Mãhina is very curious, confident and playful. She swam straight towards us and briefly interacted with us in the water. Her mother and the male es**rt whale she is with however, are very protective. It would seem they too are very aware of her uniqueness and the growing attention she is receiving and are going to heightened lengths to keep her safe.
Mãhina does not have the red eyes often seen in albino individuals, but instead striking black eyes, it’s currently unclear if she is an albino or leucistic, or otherwise.
Being so illuminating bright she lights up the water an electric fluorescent blue every time she surfaces, it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in the water before.
While indescribably beautiful to witness, this visual phenomenon also makes her extremely noticeable, both to humans and to potential predators. Although I still worry about her survival, it brings me great relief and hope to see the protective power of her mother and their es**rt who are staying diligently by her side.
Words really cannot express the degree of gratitude I feel for having the chance to meet this incredibly rare “spirit of the ocean” mystic individual.
I truly hope that I have the privilege of seeing her again as a fully grown luminescent adult some day 🤍
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