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Migaloo is back
last update: Jul 01, 2009 09:14 AM
From various news articles: Australia's famous and favourite white Humpback whale, Migaloo, has been spotted on its annual journey from the frigid waters of Antarctica to breeding grounds in the tropical warmth of far north Queensland.
Migaloo (photo: Burns)
The popularity of the whale is such that the government had to act to protect the animal.
Kate Jones, the Queensland's environment minister, said 'Migaloo has been declared a special-interest whale, granting him more space to swim up the Queensland coast. The whale-watching regulations are there to protect the whales, but also to protect people from these huge, unpredictable mammals.'
This protection is needed as, 2 years ago, Migaloo was injured in a collision with careless British tourists aboard a boat on the Great Barrier Reef. He was first spotted off Cape Byron, Australia's most easterly point, in 1991 and has been seen in each of the last five years.
A hefty fine awaits those who come any closer than 500 meters from Being this 'special-interest whale'. Aircraft are also not allowed to fly low over Migaloo.
Read more:
BBC News, 30th June 2009
The Age.com - Australia, 30th June 2009
Monster & Critics, 30th June 2009
