Migaloo, the white humpback whale which is one of the rarest species in the world was spotted on 19th June off the eastern coast of Australia.

The whale was sighted at Maroochydore by a group which was on a whale watching trip along the coast.

A spokesperson for Whale One said there are speculations that the calf has died.

"All the authorities are aware of it as a lot of people reported that it was floating along the shore," the spokesperson said.

The calf was found swimming close to the Gold Coast shore as it migrated north.

"Whales are currently completing their northern migration but this whale was obviously sick."

This whale migrates north along the east coast of Australia and is being monitored by experts for skin cancer as red marks were found on it. The marks were on the dorsal fin. Also, yellow discoloration was noticed but that is being passed off as an algae bloom by whale researchers.

Oskcar Peterson who is the founder of the White Whale Research Centre said that Migaloo's rare skin condition makes it susceptible to the effects of sunlight.

Pictures of Migaloo which was captured in Sydney were examined by the whale expert Professor Peter Harrison from Southern Cross University who has been tracking Migaloo since 1996. He said that he is keen to make comparisons with other images of Migaloo.

Harrison had also mentioned that there was some scratching in that area and it could be a case of Migaloo having bumped against something on its journey towards north. He explained that it appeared like a little tissue bruising and that there is some other discolouration nearby. Most people are curious as to whether or not this might be a preliminary form of skin cancer but of course it was difficult to say anything at this stage.