Migaloo And Bahloo The White Whales
Migaloo and Bahloo are two of the iconic white whales that have been spotted in the Whitsundays and other locations around the world. These two creatures are famous for the distinct white colouring that has launched them into whale-sized fame. Humpback whales are normally dark grey with just a white underbelly, yet several all-white whales have been seen throughout history. Here is an overview of these fascinating whales!
About Migaloo, the famous white whale
Miglaoo is a white humpback whale that was first spotted in 1991 off the East Coast of Australia near Byron Bay. He is estimated to have been born in 1986, making him about 38 years old today. Humpback whales can live anywhere between 45 and 100 years, so he is still relatively young.
He was named Migaloo by an Aboriginal community around Hervey Bay, as Migaloo means "White Fella." Migaloo is such a unique whale that there is special legislation enacted each year to protect him from harassment. Boats are not allowed to be less than 500m near him and must not approach him if spotted.
While Migaloo was once thought to be an albino whale, it is now suspected that he is a "hypo-pigmented" humpback meaning that while his colouring is completely white, he is not albino, but rather has a genetic condition that causes loss of skin colour.
When was the last sighting of Migaloo?
As of June 2024, the last known sighting of Migaloo the white whale was in 2020. He was spotted in June 2020 off the coast of Port Macquarie, New South Wales. Between 2004 and 2020, there have been lots of Migaloo sightings along Australia's East Coast. You can find a full record of Migaloo sightings on the Migaloo.org website.
There are rumours that Migaloo may have died because he hasn't been seen in 4 years. People were speculating that he may have been caught in a shark net that went missing in 2021. But there are no facts proving that Migaloo has died, and scientists say that he is probably still alive and well.
Migaloo Sightings in the Whitsundays
Migaloo has visited the Whitsundays, Cairns, Port Douglas, and other locations on the Great Barrier Reef several times in the last 20 years. Though Migaloo is a rare and unique creature, he is still a whale, and he makes the annual migration along Australia's East Coast just like the other humpbacks. Though it's a long shot to expect a sighting of Migaloo on your next Whitsunday adventure, there is always a small chance! And you will most likely see lots of other humpback whales in the Whitsundays if you visit in winter, which is always magical.
About Bahloo, the younger white whale
Bahloo is a younger and smaller white whale that has been spotted as early as 2008. This unique white whale has black spots on his tail, meaning he is definitely not albino and more likely has a condition called leucism, where skin pigment is affected.
Migaloo and Bahloo are two of several of the world's white humpbacks, and definitely two of the more famous ones that frequent the Whitsundays. In 2011, a white humpback whale calf was spotted off the Great Barrier Reef, who was named Migaloo Jr. after people suspected it could be Migaloo's offspring (this has never been confirmed). In total, there are only 4 known white humpback whales including Migaloo, Bahloo, Migaloo Junior, and another called Willow.
