Scientists are concerned for a rare albino humpback whale calf after it was seen travelling up the New South Wales coast when most whales are heading south to cooler waters. \u00a0<\/p>\n
The juvenile albino humpback, known as Siale, was spotted off Catherine Hill Bay, on the NSW Mid Central Coast, over the weekend.<\/p>\n
Scientists are urging the community to monitor the calf’s movements.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Siale, the albino female humpback whale, was born in Tonga last August. (Supplied: Tristin Sheen)<\/p>\n
Pip Jacobs, from the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA), said it was a mystery why the juvenile whale was heading north.<\/p>\n
“It’s highly unusual because this is the time of the year that they migrate to Antarctic cold water, where their primary feeding grounds are,” she said.<\/p>\n
“She is still travelling north and we really need her to turn around and find some friends and hopefully find her food sources.”<\/p>\n
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Vanessa Pirotta, a scientist at the Centre for White Whale Research, said she was “quite worried” about what impacts continuing to travel north would have on Siale’s health.<\/p>\n
“[Siale] already looks a little thin and continuing her journey north may worsen her body’s condition,” Dr Pirotta said.<\/p>\n
“We’re unsure on why she is where she is; she shouldn’t be so close to the east coast when she needs [to go] further south, where the krill and fish are.<\/p>\n
“She needs to turn around and have the ultimate Christmas dinner for the next few months and gain a lot of weight.”Not the famous Migaloo<\/p>\n
An albino male known as Migaloo was the first white whale documented when he was spotted in Byron Bay in 1991.<\/p>\n
For almost three decades, Migaloo was the only white humpback seen off Australia’s east coast.<\/p>\n