Strider the white dolphin

I have spent countless hours watching the ocean, looking out at the sea off Amelia Island. In my years, I have seen shorebirds, gannets, spinner sharks, tarpon, stingrays, bait pods, whales, giant sea turtles, manatees, massive mullet runs, waterspouts, rainbows, swimming deer, and so much more.

One summer, as I was watching the water, I spotted something unusual: a white dolphin.

After observing him from the shore for many months, I eventually named him Strider. I watched his daily routine, as he traveled with his family north in the mornings, returning south along the coast in the mid-afternoon. Where they went and where they returned to, I do not know. I always assumed they were traveling between the two river mouths — the St. Marys River at Fort Clinch and the Amelia River at Nassau Sound.

Originally, I thought Strider was an albino. As I watched him through my binoculars, I realized he wasn't white. He was off-white and definitely not pink like other albino dolphins. His coloration had another explanation.

Floating on my paddleboard one day, I snapped a photo as Strider and his family passed by. I sent that image to the marine science department at the University of North Florida. The marine biologist at the university said the white dolphin most likely had a genetic condition called leucism.

Leucism is characterized by a partial (piebald) or total loss of pigmentation in an animal's skin, fur, feathers, or scales. This results in white, pale, or patchy coloration. Unlike albinism, which completely inhibits melanin production in the body and eyes, leucism affects only pigment cells in the outer tissues.

The biologist also mentioned that dolphins have several different populations. Some pods inhabit inland waterways, staying in the marsh on the backside of the island. These populations are homebodies with small ranges. In contrast, coastal migratory populations live within 5 miles of the seashore in the Atlantic Ocean. Still other pods travel offshore, bypassing coastlines completely and spending much of their time at sea. Around Amelia Island, some dolphin pods migrate through on a greater journey, and others are locals, never straying far from home.

People who spend a lot of time around the ocean may know that dolphins are very curious and will sometimes approach humans nearby. It is important not to disrupt a dolphin’s natural movements and to keep a respectful distance from all marine mammals.

I only observed Strider for one summer off Amelia Island. At the time I spotted him, he was a juvenile, and his mother had a new calf. They traveled together along with a few others. I enjoyed watching their daily migrations and seeing the color variation that occurs in natural dolphin populations.

Locally, other populations feature color variations, such as the famous white deer on Cumberland Island. These deer are not albino; they also have leucism. Unlike true albinos, these deer have normal, dark-colored eyes, black noses, and hooves. On small islands like Cumberland, inbreeding reduces genetic diversity. This allows hidden recessive traits to appear much more often and can cause conditions such as leucism.

I will never know whether Strider belonged to a local or migratory pod, or where he is today. For a summer off Amelia Island, he stood out among his pod members; he was different. He made that summer special for me. I will always remember the feelings of curiosity and wonder of watching a white dolphin. There is always something new to observe and always something new to learn about in the natural world.

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