- Albino humpback whale Migaloo was spotted off the east coast of Australia
- The rare mammal was on his annual migration to Antarctic waters
You would
think that an albino humpback whale would be hard to miss but this amazing
beast has proved elusive in the deep blue.
That was
until yesterday when he appeared off the Australian east coast, breaching and
swimming right up to whale watching boats.
Known as
Migaloo – Aboriginal for ‘white fella’ – the rare whale famous among whale
watchers, showed off as he made his way to the chilly Antarctic waters for his
annual migration.
 |
| Rare encounter: Whale watchers off the Australian east coast were lucky enough to see Migaloo, the famous albino humpback whale |
He was at
arm’s length to fans aboard a whale watching boat, possibly the world’s closest
encounter with Migaloo.
The
all-white whale was spotted off Moreton Island late on Wednesday before he was
seen out to sea beyond South Stradbroke Island on at 10am on Thursday.
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By 11.30am
he was 3.8 nautical miles off Surfers Paradise Beach, near Brisbane, the first
confirmed sighting of Migaloo off the Gold Coast since 2009.
 |
| At arm's length: The all-white humpback swum right up to a whale watching boat, possibly the world's closest encounter with Migaloo |
 |
| Migaloo is Aboriginal for 'white fella', the rare mammal is famous among whale watchers |
 |
| Show off: Migaloo amazed whale watchers, breaching and swimming close to boats |
Migaloo was
first sighted in 1991 when he was the only known white whale in the world.
That was
until an albino calf was spotted with its protective mother off the Australian
coast near Sydney.
It was
believed to be the offspring of Migaloo and has been unofficially named MJ
(Migaloo Junior), according to The White Whale Research Centre.
Migaloo is
protected under Australian law and part of Australia's east coast humpback
population that has been brought back from the brink of extinction following
the halting of whaling in the early 1960s.
 |
| Spotted before: Migaloo was first spotted in 1991 and has been seen a handful of times while making his annual migration to Antartic waters such as off Byron Bay on the eastern Australian coast in 2006 (pictured) |
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| Migaloo Junior: Migaloo was thought to be the only albino humpback in the world until this all-white calf was spotted in 2011 with its protective mother. Believed to be the offspring of Migaloo, it has been unofficially named MJ (Migaloo Junior) |
 |
| Protected by law: Migaloo, pictured in 2009, is part of Australia's east coast humpback population that has been brought back from the brink of extinction following the halting of whaling in the early 1960s |
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