Tracking Frosty the Orca

This Apex Predator Has Become One of the Most Recognizable Killer Whales in Our Ocean

Frosty the Orca in the Santa Barbara Channel | Photo: Chuck Graham

The all-white orca kept pace with its swift-swimming mom, hugging her left flank in the East Santa Barbara Channel. The unusual-looking orca was known as Frosty, and it was just 2 years old at the time, in December 2021.

There were members from three different orca pods congregating in the channel that late afternoon. Everyone on the Island Packers ferry got a great look at orca behavior, from mating and frolicking to hunting and socializing. Yet, most passengers on the boat wanted to know more about the young, creamy-white orca staying so close to its mom.

Frosty is part of the orca pod known as CA216Cs, one of many transient Bigg’s killer whale pods that constantly travel up and down the California coast. These transient pods specialize in preying upon whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions. There’s been a record number of sightings of Frosty (it’s not known yet if Frosty is a male or female) and its pod during the winter of 2024-2025 in the Santa Barbara Channel.

Frosty the Orca in the Santa Barbara Channel | Photo: Chuck Graham

“There is no way to know for sure why that specific group has lingered in the area for multiple weeks; they cannot tell us that,” said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who has been a marine biologist, cetacean researcher, and educator for 40 years. “There’s no way to measure the abundance of various prey in the Santa Barbara Channel.”

Schulman-Janiger is also the lead biologist for the California Killer Whale Project (CKWP), established in December 2019. However, she’s been studying them and archiving sightings since 1979.

She does have some theories as to why the CA216Cs have been so visible. Besides the long-established whale-watching vessels like the Condor Express and Island Packers, there are smaller, faster boats covering a lot more ground in the channel and around the Channel Islands. Santa Barbara Whale Watch and Pacific Offshore Expeditions can cover a couple hundred miles in a day during mild sea conditions.

“There’s also lots of sea lions around oil rigs,” Schulman-Janiger said. “They afford a good opportunity to train calves foraging techniques.”

The CA216Cs have been seen 12 times on the Santa Barbara Channel. The first documented sighting was on December 15, 2024. On one of the sightings, Frosty and the CA216Cs were seen less than a mile off Mesa Lane. We saw them from the Island Packers boat February 22, 2025. They were traveling at a decent pace to the northwest and up the oil rig line. They were last seen from the Condor Express, Santa Barbara Whale Watch, and Pacific Offshore Expeditions on February 23, 2025.

As impressive as these apex predators are, some pods are more well-known than others, that goes for individuals too. A female orca with an “E” naturally etched at the rear of her dorsal fin is known as the matriarch Emma, CA140. One male is known as Bumper, CA51C, because when he was young, he would gently bump into small boats. Of course, an all-white orca is going to stand out.

Unfortunately, according to Schulman-Janiger, Frosty almost certainly has Chédiak-Higashi Syndrome (CHS), which is what the captive Bigg’s killer whale calf Chimo had, as well as an orca known as Tl’uk, who possibly shares the same father with Frosty. The development of pigmentation and patterns change over time and are the same for all three juvenile orcas. Chimo was 4 years old when they died. Tl’uk was 3 years old when they passed and was born less than a year before Frosty.

The syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the immune system and other parts of the body. It’s characterized by partial albinism, immunodeficiency, and a mild bleeding tendency. CHS damages immune system cells, making it harder for them to fight off bacteria and viruses.

“Those with this syndrome have vision issues, lowered immunity, and shorter life spans,” Schulman-Janiger said. “To my knowledge, no orca thought to have this syndrome has survived into adulthood; all have died as young juveniles. Unlike humans, they cannot be given treatment for a bone marrow transplant.”

As Frosty cut through the channel with its pod, it kept pace with its family, mostly staying in the middle of the pod. At 5 and a half years old, Frosty looked good, and its energy was high. It was thrilling seeing Frosty three years later. Frosty will be 6 years old in July or August 2025.

“Frosty has always been extremely lean,” said Schulman-Janiger. “Yet seems to have a lot of energy and has no problem keeping up with mom and a new sibling.”

Sadly, chances are that Frosty will not live into adulthood, given that rare syndrome and what has been seen in other orcas and other species with this syndrome.

“We treasure each and every encounter and getting to see Frosty living their best life,” said Schulman-Janiger.