A scientist with DFO has a possible explanation for whales off the coast with a pinkish underbelly.

It seems a pink whale, captured recently on video near Long Beach in Trinity Bay, may have been lingering off the coast of Newfoundland for some time.

Shaina Victory told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly this morning that she saw a similar pink whale in Freshwater Bay in mid-June.

She believes it’s the same whale and contacted DFO at the time who told her it might be a whale belly feeding.

Dr. Jack Lawson of DFO says their scientists think it may be the “pinky minke” which was recently spotted near Fort Amherst. It was feeding vigorously, back breaching, and pushing high out of the water. In doing so, it displayed pinkish skin from its chin to its belly.

Lawson says it could be the result from “belly flopping,” just as it does when humans jump off a diving board and land on their bellies. The “pink” appearance on some whales recently could be the result of colouration on their undersides.

They welcome more pics and video of such mammals. Lawson will be on the VOCM Morning Show tomorrow talking about the matter just after the 8 a.m. news.

Earlier Story:

A pink whale isn’t something many people can say they spotted in the waters off Newfoundland and Labrador, but a group of people on Long Beach near Clarenville did and they caught it on video.

A group of people spotted a Humpback whale breaching near the beach but then they noticed another whale as well and the colour seemed different.

To their surprise, a light pink whale jumped from the water and landed on its back.

VOCM News has reached out to DFO for more information on the animal.

The video can be viewed here.