Migaloo The Rare "Ghost" Whale Is As Beautiful As He Is Mysterious
At least 45 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises can be found in the Australian waters. Not all species are in the waters at the same time. Some of the species, such as the humpback whale migrate there during the summer months.
As early as May, humpback whales can be seen migrating from the cold waters of Antartica to the warmer waters of Australia. They travel to Australia, by way of New Zealand and then by November head back to Antartica. They have been migrating this way for hundreds, probably thousand of years.
Humpback whales travel to the seas of Australia to calve their young and to mate. The warm northern waters provide the perfect breeding ground for these massive travelers of the sea. This helps to ensure the survival of their species. Their breeding season is May through September and the calves are not born with enough fat to keep them alive in the icy waters of Antartica.
The humpback whale can grow to be 60 feet long and a whopping 40 tons. Full grown, they are about the size of a school bus! This whale is well known for their hauntingly beautiful melodic songs of the sea.
Humpback whales are a favorite of tourists and natives alike on the Australian coast. Every year hundreds of people travel here to hopefully catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. Whether they are watching from a boat or from shore with binoculars seeing a whale in the wild is a real treat for anyone!
While there are hundreds of whales that migrate through, there is one very special humpback whale that all whale watchers hope to spot! An all-white male humpback "ghost" whale, who was first spotted in 1991. He was named Migaloo, which basically means "white fella" in the Aboriginal dialect.
Migaloo is thought to be heading into his 30's or in his early 30's. He is all white, but not thought to be albino.One reason is that his eyes are brown and not pink or red, a prominent albino trait. He is thought to be hypopigmented, which means to have a loss of color in the skin. Whether he is albino or not he is quite a rare and magnificent creature to behold!
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