A very special whale was spotted recently on two separate occasions by researchers off the Great Barrier Reef. Migaloo, an all-white humpback whale, is truly one-of-a-kind. First spotted in 1991 off the coast of Australia, the 20-something male is the only documented white humpback whale in the world. Derived from an Aboriginal name meaning “white fella,” Migaloo’s last confirmed sighting was back in 2007.
Things have not been all smooth sailing for the celebrity whale. In 2003, he was struck by a 30-foot trimaran and still has visible scars. There are, however, specific guidelines in place to protect humpback whales from approaching vessels in Australian waters. And because of his rarity, Migaloo has special protection from the Queensland and New South Wales governments prohibiting vessels from approaching him too closely.
In 2004, researchers were able to collect skin samples from this magnificent mammal when he breached. Researchers say the white whale has a lump on the side of his head which may be a tumor. Greg Kaufman said, “From the beginning, we’ve seen that Migaloo has a lump on the side of its head. His misshapen head could be related to his albinism.” Kaufman, founder and president of the non-profit Pacific Whale Foundation, was one of the people who first spotted Migaloo years ago and was one of the researchers who spotted the whale days ago.
Migaloo may also be suffering from low sperm count although several years ago, a white humpback calf was spotted in Bryon Bay. Some experts believe the calf may be the offspring of Migaloo.
Visit Steve Mandera’s website for further information on the lovely Migaloo’s Fantastic Journey. For up-to-date sightings on Migaloo, visit his webpage. And for more photographs of the all-white humpback whale, check out his photo gallery.
Humpback Whales
Humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, come in several different colors and the female is larger than the male. The average life expectancy of the humpback is around 45 to 50 years but they can live much longer.
Humpback whales are protected in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Southern Hemisphere. Once hunted to near extinction, it is estimated the humpback whale population declined by about 90% because of over-hunting. Other threats include entanglement, collision with vessels and pollution. It is estimated that approximately 35,000 humpback whales exist today.
Photo BigBlueOcean via Flickr
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