A rare white whale spotted in the Cook Strait last year has been identified as the famous Migaloo, often seen in Australian waters.
A whale thought to be the distinctive creature was seen last July by researchers taking part in the annual Cook Strait whale survey.
The survey is a partnership between the Department of Conservation (DoC) and OMV New Zealand.
DoC has this morning said the humpback seen last year was indeed Migaloo; confirmed by DNA analysis on a skin sample taken at the time.
![Migaloo and a black humpback whale in Cook Strait in July last year. Photo / Twitter](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/LJDNPZUYWRZU5HC5LJMDFGXOKQ.jpg?auth=2db9c53dd4dec5c5184626cf26a5df1131a2daaba1b6086738baa7e6e5eee474&width=16&height=8&quality=70&smart=true)