Lost whale calf bonds with yacht, tries to suckle

[dennisjay]

Kinda gives a new meaning to "mother ship."

Check out the video.
Lost whale calf bonds with yacht - Asia-Pacific - MSNBC.com

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.

[44'cruisingcat]

That's sad.

[imagine2frolic]

Kind of reminds me of Humpry the lost humpback of S.F. Bay.

[44'cruisingcat]

This hasn't turned out to have a happy ending. Authorities have decided to euthanase "Colin" the orphaned humpback, today. He is reported to be listless and near starvation.

[cat man do]

We can send men to the moon and take pictures of the Titanic, yet cant give milk to a baby whale.

That sucks (no pun intended)

Dave

[Brent Swain]

Wish the politicians would do that.