Monday, August 18, 2008

Odd News - Baby whale seems to think yacht is its mother


Odd News - Baby whale seems to think yacht is its mother

SYDNEY, Australia - Australian media say a lost humpback whale calf has bonded with a yacht it seems to think is its mother.

The 1- to 2-month-old calf was first sighted Sunday in waters off north Sydney, and on Monday tried to suckle from a yacht, which it would not leave.

Rescuers towed the yacht out to sea, and the calf finally detached from the boat but still swam nearby, Australian Broadcasting Corp. and Channel 10 television news reported.

The calf appears exhausted but rescuers hope it will continue out to sea and search for its mother or another pod of whales.

"The outlook is not good, but we are giving the calf its only option. It can't be fed, and in fact we wouldn't know what to feed it" because it is not weaned, National Parks and Wildlife regional manager Chris McIntosh told ABC radio.




1 comment:

  1. Where are the marine biologists who are supposed to know how to help these creatures? How wise is it to expect a new born baby to go "looking" for its mother? How safe is it out at sea rather than close to port? Why not lead it to a pod instead of expecting it to find one on its own? As things are now, we will watch it starve to death or be killed by a predator.

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