Drone captures stunning footage of BC's rare white orca (VIDEO)

Stunning footage of British Columbia’s rare white orca has been captured by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

The 42-second clip was captured via drone and shows a closer look at the whale swimming with its pod in BC waters.

According to the Vancouver Island Whale Watch website, it’s been approximately 10 years since the last confirmed sighting of a white whale in local waters.

The cause of the distinct colouration is unknown, although a few possible explanations have been suggested, including a type of Albinism.

“Leucism causes a loss of pigmentation but it doesn’t affect the eyes, while Chediak-Higashi syndrome is a rare autosomal genetic condition which can result in albinism. Chediak-Higashi syndrome has been observed in the transient orca population in this area before,” said The Vancouver Island Whale Watch.

–with files from Rumneek Johal