Washed Ashore: Lifeless Rare White Whale Is Not Famous Albino Migaloo

It's not the famous albino humpback whale known as Migaloo that washed up on an Australian beach. Instead, it's a rare white whale.

On Saturday morning, the carcass of the whale was discovered on a beach in the Australian state of Victoria.

The albino whale Migaloo, first discovered off the Australian coast in 1991, has not been seen in more than two years. Unfortunately, it is unknown where he is right now because the albino humpback lost its tracker.

The Australian Associated Press has now confirmed the dead white whale discovered on the beach is a young female and not the male Migaloo, according to a government environment official.

Stanning Migaloo

Down Under, the all-white male has something of a cult following, and animal welfare laws even have a specific provision to shield him from harassment by admirers.

According to environment official Peter Brick, officers have verified the dead humpback whale at Mallacoota is not Migaloo as the famous whale is a male, while the carcass is that of a sub-adult female because after looking at images of it.

The dead female whale, which measures approximately 10 meters in length, has been warned against being touched or interfered with by locals.

Migaloo, which is estimated to be 15 meters long and 33 years old this year, has a predicted lifespan of 50 years.

The whale carcass is illegal to approach within 300 meters, and anyone caught trying to take skin or teeth as a souvenir will face harsh penalties, according to Victoria's environment department (DELWP Victoria).

In the interim, the animal will undergo genetic testing by scientists to uncover more information about it.

Vanessa Pirotta, a wildlife scientist at Macquarie University, said images of the animal did not prove it was an albino whale.

Pirotta said that it appears to be most likely a white whale, or at the very least, a whale that was previously darker in color and had died at sea washed ashore and been weathered over time.

"Migaloo" and Moby Dick

According to National Geographic, Migaloo is one of just a handful of white whales that are known to exist in the world. "Migaloo," an Aboriginal word, means "white man" which is an appropriate name for the albino humpback whale.

The White Whale Research Centre states that while his hypo-pigmentation is probably a result of his genes, it is unclear whether he is a true albino and cannot produce pigments. Migaloo might also be leucistic; unlike albinos, he might have colored eyes even though he might not be able to produce much pigment.

While they have occasionally been spotted among fin, blue, and even sperm whales-the species lauded in Moby Dick-white whales are uncommon among humpbacks and whales in general.

Migaloo is one of at least three white humpback whales that have been spotted recently off the coast of Australia. No one is certain if the smaller whale known as "Migaloo Junior" or the "son of Migaloo" is related to the larger whale known as "Migaloo." There have also been sightings of a third white humpback with black spots on its tail, Metro reports.

Tags rare white whale, migaloo, washed ashore, albino whale, Humpback whales, Moby Dick