Known as an enigmatic whale, Migaloo has once again showed up in the waters of New Zealand. The big white humpback whale, which is normally found cruising up the eastern Australian coastline at this time of the year, has been spotted in Cook Strait in New Zealand.

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On Sunday, researchers on an annual winter humpback survey of the strait between North and South Islands have spotted the albino humpback whale known as Migaloo in New Zealand. Though the strait is a recognized migratory route for humpback whales swimming north from the Antarctic to join the East Australian stock, ABC News revealed it has been the first time that the whale has been sighted in New Zealand waters.

So, what is a Migaloo? Here are 5 facts about this albino humpback whale.

1. An albino humpback whale is extremely rare. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, only four white humpbacks have been reported in the world. They are Migaloo, Bahloo, Willow and a calf named "Migaloo Jr."

2. The albino humpback whale Migaloo, which is Aboriginal for "white fella," has a distinctive color, "crooked finger" dorsal fin and a prominent spine, Thrasher Backer noted. He could live as long as a human. However, as an albino, he may be more likely to be infertile, or to have a compromised immune system.

3. Migaloo is an adult male whale who experts believed was born in 1986. As per The White Whale Research Centre, he is such a unique whale that he has special Queensland & Commonwealth Government legislation that is enacted each year to protect him from harassment. However, Migaloo was struck by a trimaran off Townsville, Queensland in August 2003. Until now, he still bears the scars from the collision on his back.

4. Besides Migaloo, there are three other known white humpbacks. Willow lives up in the Arctic and was spotted along the coast of Norway in 2012. While Bahloo lurks in Migaloo's territory in the Great Barrier Reef, first seen in 2008. But these two are not as gregarious as Migaloo, rarely showing their faces, Smithsonian reported.

Moreover, the other known white humpback is a calf first seen swimming around the Great Barrier Reef in 2011. Unofficially named "Migaloo, Jr.," the calf is not known to be the child of Migaloo. The two whales may not even be related.

5. Bahloo and Migaloo hang out in the same area. And since Bahloo rarely shows its face, many thought the two are actually the same whale. However, photos taken in 2010 showed a few black spots on Bahloo's head and tail, differentiating it from Migaloo. While Willow's black patterns lies on the underside of its tail, making Migaloo the only documented all-white whale.

Meanwhile, these patterns and markings are distinct for each whale, white or otherwise, allowing researchers to track the creatures through detailed observations.

TagsMigaloo, Migaloo Facts, Migaloo Whale, humpback whales, albino humpback whale