Diving professional Simon Lorenz will not forget this encounter in a hurry: During a diving trip off the coast of Tonga, he comes across an albino humpback whale. The calf was traveling with its mother.
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- Off the coast of Tonga, in the Pacific Ocean, divers have spotted a humpback whale with an albino calf.
- This incredible encounter is extremely rare. Only 15 albino humpback whales have been observed in the last 100 years.
- Albinism can affect all vertebrates. It is a congenital disorder in which the body does not produce melanins (pigments).
- The pigment disorder means that the animals are poorly protected against sunburn. Vision and hearing can also be impaired.
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