Rare white whale spotted off New Zealand
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E-mail China.org.cn, July 6, 2015
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The white whale's distinctive dorsal fin and spiny protuberances behind the fin [Photo/DOC] |
"White humpbacks are extremely rare. Only four have been reported in the world," said Nadine Bott.
"Migaloo is the most famous and another white humpback whale was spotted in Norway this year. Migaloo is thought to have fathered two white calves which have been making appearances along Australia"s eastern coast. One has been named MJ, short for Migaloo junior."
The annual whale survey, a DOC partnership with OMV New Zealand, is assessing humpback whale recovery since commercial whaling ended in 1964 and is timed for humpback whales" northern migration to South Pacific breeding grounds. It also aims to estimate the size of the humpback population in our waters.
The survey this year has also had a spectacularly high count of humpback whales with 122 spotted up till the end of yesterday, considerably surpassing its previous highest of tally of 106 humpbacks in 2012.
Nadine Bott said this was a promising indication humpback whale numbers are increasing in our waters.
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