They would also be able to do a health check after the boat incident and the skin samples would allow DNA testing to help determine whether the whale had any offspring.
"The question is: is Migaloo a daddy or can Migaloo become a daddy and how can we find that out - we need to do DNA sampling," Mr Wells told reporters.Albinism in most species is often associated with premature death and infertility.
But Migaloo - an Aboriginal word meaning "white fella" - is estimated to be an adult of about 15-17 years.
He has been recorded singing - a sign that he is looking for a mate - since 1998.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service whale expert Col Limpus said the challenge now was to find Migaloo and the public's help was needed.Migaloo was last sighted near Townsville in north Queensland about a week ago, a few days after the collision with the boat.
He was expected to be around Fraser Island near Hervey Bay in the next few days and anyone who sighted the whale was asked to report his position to the marine strandings hotline.
"He's been elusive - let's not kid ourselves on that. We are asking folks to stay on the alert," Dr Limpus said.
Mr Wells said he would write to his colleagues in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania to notify them about the research.
The Japanese government would also be notified in an effort to ensure Migaloo's safety from hunters upon his return to the Antarctic.
"If we could get the Japanese interested in this particular scientific inquiry, then maybe we could get them to concentrate on science instead of sushi," Mr Wells said.
This report appears on news.com.au.
30 Aug 03
Tests to reveal whale's tale
by Fleur Madden
31 aug 03
The secrets of Migaloo, the world's only known living albino whale, will soon be revealed by DNA testing.
Migaloo has been sighted off the coast of Australia on and off for 13 years, but little is known of the white whale's condition. State Environment Minister Dean Wells yesterday announced the 500m exclusion zone around Migaloo would be lifted for one day to allow scientists and divers to collect samples of the whale's skin for DNA tests.
"Whales often shed fragments of skin when they break the surface of the water. Samples will be collected by scientists in a non-invasive procedure," he said. The skin fragments could be larger than a human hand.
Mr Wells said these tests were important for scientific and protection reasons, as there were no other records of albinism in whales.
"The tests will determine more about Migaloo's condition and if he is a daddy or capable of becoming one," he said. "Migaloo is a paradox. He is an adult singing whale, looking for a mate.
"They know Migaloo has been singing since 1998 – whether or not he has already fathered children is unknown."
However through random DNA testing of young whales born in the past few years, scientists may be able to determine if Migaloo is already a family man. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service scientist Dr Col Limpus said finding Migaloo was a real challenge, but they expected to see him again at Fraser Island within the next month.
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