Is Australia's favourite whale back? White humpback believed to be Migaloo is spotted off the New South Wales coast during annual migration
- Whale watchers say they sighted the great white whale off NSW
- Migaloo is expected to reach Byron Bay on Wednesday heading north
- The sighting is part of his annual migration from Antarctica to Queensland
Whale watchers have reported sightings of Australia's favourite whale Migaloo taking part in his annual migration north from Antarctica to the waters off Queensland.
Migaloo was spotted off the New South Wales south coast on Monday heading north.
A tweet reporting the sighting predicted he would be 'cruising past' Sydney sometime soon, and could reach Cape Byron around Wednesday.
The report sparked plenty of interest among whale watchers, as they planned the best way to catch a glimpse of the famous mammal.
Migaloo is rumoured to have been spotted off the New South Wales south coast on Monday heading north
Macquarie University Marine Scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia people should take the sighting with a grain of salt
Macquarie University Marine Scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta was not convinced by the sighting, telling Daily Mail Australia that he would be hard to identify from shore.
'Migaloo is one of around 40,000 humpback whales so essentially it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. So when people see or may have seen this individual people get really excited and start to try and predict his movements,' Dr Pirotta said.
Each year between May and November the humpback whale population makes its annual pilgrimage from Antarctica to the warmer waters off north east Australia.
They then mate and give birth before returning south with their young.
While Migaloo is one of these estimated 40,000 he's considered particularly special because of his unusual colouring.
The first sighting of Migaloo dates back to 1991 around Hervey Bay and researchers have been following the creature ever since.
Researchers were fascinated by Migaloo's colouring, as he was believed to be the first fully white whale in the eastern humpback whale population.
He was named 'Migaloo' which means 'whitefella' in several indigenous languages.
The first sighting of Migaloo dates back to 1991 around Hervey Bay and researchers have been following the creature ever since
Scientists still aren't sure if he's an albino whale or if he is he is leucistic, meaning he is unable to produce pigment but has coloured eyes.
However since this date, another three or four white whales have been discovered: Bahloo, Willow and Migaloo Jnr.
Dr Pirotta said despite this he's still the world's most famous whale.
'Migaloo is like the rock star for the ocean world because he's showing that we should care about the ocean. But also remembering that because he's so famous we need to be aware of our actions on the water,' Dr Pirotta said.
The whale is so well-known extra protections are in place, meaning people have to keep at least 500metres away or face severe penalties.
Anyone who breaches the regulations around distance could be fined $16,500.
Dr Pirotta said the chances of spotting Migaloo were remote.
'You would have to be quite lucky. I've only seen him once in my entire career of whale watching,' she said.
'But if anything, going down to the ocean at this time of year to look for whales is a fantastic thing. And you never what you're going to see,' she said.
