A rare ghostly whale calf has been seen in Tonga. Experts say the white humpback, known as Siale, is one of two born around the South Pacific Ocean island country in 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hearing rumours of a white calf that had been born in Vava\u2019u, Tonga, tourism operators were \u201cimmediately concerned,\u201d says Tristin Sheen from\u00a0Whale Discoveries<\/a>. \u201cVava\u2019u is a busy tourist hub for whale swimming\u201d and they didn’t want the young calf to be disturbed. \u201cThen we heard the white calf was in Ha\u2019apai,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n It seemed strange that there were reports of the calf in both Vava\u2019u and Ha\u2019apai. They soon discovered why. \u201cI started probing for photographic evidence wondering if there could be two calves. As it turned out the photos showed different mothers with the calves,\u201d she says. \u201cWe had two white calves in Tonga.\u201d<\/p>\n The first calf was called\u00a0M\u00e3hina<\/a>. They called the second Siale.\u00a0<\/p>\n The chance of a white whale being born is exceptionally rare. \u201cMy husband and I have been on the sea for 28 years,\u201d says Sheen. \u201cIn all the thousands of whales we have never witness an all-white whale.\u201d<\/p>\n Mesmerising footage shows Siale the white humpback whale rising to the surface in Tonga. Credit: David and Tristin Sheen, Whale Discoveries <\/p>\n Sharing the water with this rare individual was \u201ctotally surreal,\u201d she says. \u201cFor some reason, I thought she would behave differently to other calves,\u201d because she looked so different with her snow-white skin. But the young whale \u201cacted like any other happy\u00a0calf,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n It was a breathtaking sight, Sheen says: \u201cShe is perfect, brilliant, pure like fine porcelain, flawless.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Conservation experts and tourism operators are worried about the risk of too many travellers trying to see the calf. \u201cWe all have concerns,\u201d says Sheen. \u201cAll of us operators banded together to make exceptional rules for her to ensure she wasn\u2019t harassed.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Humpback whales<\/a> visit Tonga during breeding season as part of their migration. This is an important time for mothers and their young calves and too many boats can stress them out.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTonga is a great place to encounter whales<\/a>,\u201d says Sheen, but she stressed the importance of strict regulation around encounters, including limiting the number of daily interactions so these gentle giants have time to rest and go about their normal business without disturbance. \u201cAll whales deserve protection,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n