Whale watchers get world's closest encounter yet with Migaloo the albino humpback off the coast of Australia
Albino humpback whale Migaloo was spotted off the east coast of Australia
The rare mammal was on his annual migration to Antarctic waters
By Alex Ward
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.
By 11.30am he was 3.8 nautical miles offSurfers 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)
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作者: xcyong89 時間: 2012-9-29 10:11 PM
Migaloo is Aboriginal for 'white fella', the rare mammal is famous among whale watchers
