Rare Piebald Dolphin Discovered in Australian Waters

Speckles, the first documented piebald bottlenose dolphin in Australia, showcases unique black and white patchy skin due to piebaldism.

Speckles, a rare piebald bottlenose dolphin, was first spotted in Australian waters in September 2022, marking a significant discovery.
Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast documented Speckles' unique black and white patchy skin coloration, attributed to piebaldism.
Piebaldism, a partial loss of pigmentation, is extremely rare in marine mammals, with only 24 documented cases worldwide.
Despite a healed shark bite, Speckles appeared healthy, indicating that the piebaldism has not affected its survival.
The discovery of Speckles adds to the limited sightings of atypically colored marine mammals in Australian waters, previously noted only in whales.