Rare white dolphin seen in Florida canal
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!A rare white dolphin has been seen in a Florida canal about a year after it was last spotted in the area.
The dolphin, named Cherub, has hypopigmentation, which means its skin is white, rather than gray.
Cherub – who is between 1 and 2 years old – was recently seen in the Clearwater Canal in Florida with three other dolphins. The last time Cherub was in the area was about a year ago.
A rare white dolphin has been seen in a Florida canal about a year after it was last spotted in the area. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)
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Hannah Rogers, a rescue biologist at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, told Fox News Digital via email that animals with hypopigmentation are "rather rare" and Cherub is the only known hypopigmented animal in the Clearwater, Florida, area.
Rogers said there may be others, but it’s hard to know whether the public just doesn’t report other white dolphins or if they have left the area.
The dolphin, named Cherub, has hypopigmentation, which means its skin is white, rather than gray. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)
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"The fact that Cherub and its mother are known animals to CMA’s photo ID team, and have been reported several times in our area, may suggest they are part of our local coastal stock, although the only true way to determine which population they belong to would be through genetic testing," Rogers said.
Cherub – who is between 1 and 2 years old – was recently seen in the Clearwater Canal in Florida with three other dolphins. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)
"Bottlenose dolphins can be of an offshore or coastal ecotype, and can range from being ‘resident’ or remaining in an area year-round, can migrate seasonally, or be considered ‘transient,’" Rogers added.
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Rogers said the best way to find out which category Cherub and its mother are in would be to conduct genetic testing or study the dolphins more closely.
A spokesperson for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium told Fox News Digital via email that Cherub was born with normal color, but over time its skin lightened and now appears white.
