Rare white whales appear in Australia

A white humpback whale, a creature that few people see in life, has just appeared near Australia's giant Great Barrier Reef on September 24.

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The AP quoted Wayne Fewings, a local resident, saying he saw a flock of humpback whales near the Whitsunday Islands while sitting on a boat with his family. Whitsunday Islands are part of the Great Barrier Reef.

The white humpback whale appears near the archipelago
Whitsunday of Australia on September 24.Photo: AFP.

'I found a small white whale in the herd. I immediately grabbed the camera. Then the white whale swims towards the boat. It seems like he wants them to check us out. I just stared blankly at the animal. It's an opportunity to appear only once in your life , 'Fewings said.

Mark Read, an official in charge of protecting the Great Barrier Reef, said white whales are extremely rare animals. On average 10,000 to 15,000 humpback whales live along Australia's east coast, only 10-15 are white. The whale is wholly like Fewings and is even rarer.

It is possible that the parents of the white whale have dark skin, but they both carry the gene for white skin to be recessive. Another possibility, according to Read, is the parent of the animal with white skin.

Humpback whales are migrating south so Read identifies the white whale being well cared for by the mother so that it can accumulate fat before reaching the Antarctic waters. Thick fat helps whales keep their body warm in cold water.