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Rare White Whale Calf Wins Top Photography Prize
23 Feb
Summary
- A rare white humpback whale calf and its mother won the top prize.
- Albinism affects skin pigmentation, occurring in one in 40,000 humpbacks.
- Whale populations are recovering but changing migration patterns due to warming oceans.
A rare white humpback whale calf, named Mãhina, and its mother were honored with the top award at the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards. The winning photograph was taken by Jono Allen in Vava'u, Tonga, a moment he described as life-changing.
Albinism, a condition affecting skin pigmentation, is exceptionally rare in humpback whales, with an estimated incidence of one in 40,000 births. Mãhina was first observed in the summer of 2024.
Humpback whale populations have shown significant recovery, now classified as a species of 'least concern' by the IUCN due to the cessation of commercial whaling. Current estimates place their numbers around 135,000 as of 2018.
However, these whales are experiencing ecological shifts, including earlier migrations in the Southern Hemisphere. Scientists attribute these changes to a warming Southern Ocean that affects the availability of their food sources, leading to migrations weeks earlier than in past decades.
The World Nature Photography Awards received entries from 51 countries, showcasing diverse wildlife from Uganda to Canada. Other award-winning images included a gorilla in Uganda, a chameleon in Namibia, and a polar bear interacting with e-waste in Canada. Entries for the upcoming year are currently being accepted.
