Whale researchers in Western Australia have captured these amazing and incredibly rare images of a white Southern Right Whale calf.

Drone footage from the research boat revealed what no one on board had expected to see.

The team is using some new and experimental technology to help try and unlock some of the secrets of whale life and help better understand how human activities above and below the waves can affect whale behaviour and migration patterns.

Drones were flown over the whales and their calves, gathering images which will enable scientists to measure and assess their body size and health from a distance.

It's not unusual for a Right Whale calf to be white, but it's very rare to capture one on film, as expert Professor Lars Bejder explains.