Marine Authorities Track Rare True Albino Humpback Whale Off New South Wales

Marine monitoring agencies are closely tracking the movements of Siale, a rare true albino humpback whale, following her confirmed sighting near Crescent Head on the New South Wales coast. Siale first gained public attention as a calf during the 2024 breeding season while observed in Tongan waters, establishing her as one of the few globally documented individuals exhibiting true albinism. This genetic condition is characterized by a complete absence of melanin, distinguishing her from leucistic whales which retain some skin and eye pigmentation.

The sighting near Little Nobby occurred on Saturday, January 10, 2026, although subsequent official reports confirming her precise location remain pending. The presence of white whales like Siale is considered significant, offering tangible data on the persistence of this unique genetic trait within the broader humpback population. Humpback whales, *Megaptera novaeangliae*, undertake one of the animal kingdom's longest migrations, traveling roughly 10,000 kilometers from Antarctic feeding grounds to the warmer waters off Queensland and New South Wales for breeding and socializing.

In response to this rare occurrence, a 500-meter Boat Exclusion Zone remains in effect as a protective guideline for the whale during her passage along the migratory route. This distance exceeds the minimum approach guideline of 100 meters suggested for an adult whale by organizations such as ORRCA. Authorities are directing the public to observe from a distance and report any confirmed sightings immediately to designated organizations, including the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) or the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Statistically, the rarity of such an animal is notable, with some reports suggesting only two or three true albino whales may exist globally at any given time. Siale is distinct from Migaloo, an adult male albino humpback last sighted in 2020, who has previously had special protections enacted in Queensland. The NPWS Large Whale Disentanglement Team remains active during the migration season, which typically runs from May to November, addressing risks like entanglement in fishing gear for the east coast population, estimated at around 40,000 individuals.

The successful documentation of Siale, utilizing photo identification techniques that may involve algorithms similar to those used by Happy Whale, provides crucial data confirming migratory paths and underscores that the South Pacific whale population's movements are not confined by international borders. Continued monitoring, such as that conducted by NPWS under Operation Ketos, manages human activity alongside the welfare of these rare marine travelers throughout their journey.