Baby Whale Becomes Yacht's First Mate

Australian Media Reports Lost Humpback Calf Bonds With Boat, Thinks It's His Mother

(AP)  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.

[erasmus81]

"I would give up clubbin baby seals for a chance to shoot the whale with a harpoon....aaaaaarrrrrgggg!"Posted by angryman55 at 02:34 PM : Aug 18, 2008

And I would be willing to give up life as I know it, to stick that harpoon up your......nose.

[lovesamerica]

poor whale, it may be natural selection ,but it doesn''t make it any less of a tragedy. I hope they follow it and try to see how it does.The loss of even one of these beautiful animals is a shame. I hope we are kept updated. good luck little one

[huntley42]

I honestly can''t believe that we couldn''t help the baby whale. We know what they eat they just didn''t want to spend the money on the supplies to get the job done. Besides they need to bond and are family oriented species and it apparently bonded with a boat. I hope it finds a pod, whales will adopt motherless babies.

[republic1776]

Got Milk?
They can''t figure out how or what to feed it?
All the tax money spent on these endeavours.
Poor whale, just wants it''s mommy and love.
: (

[rf35]

Don''t tell the Japanese...they''ll want it for "scientific research."

Too bad we don''t have any whale milk for it. A couple of tanker fulls ought to do for a start.

[yankeerebel7]

Just give it some krill and send it off to find adventure. Either that or use it to produce some makeup.

[shanev137]

It can''t be fed, and in fact we wouldn''t know what to feed it"

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I find that hard to believe in the 21st century.

[donnie10007]

Is that what whales drink? Milk?

[donnie10007]

Could have drilled a hole thru the hull and fed him some milk.

[barbaraf4]

An example of how the beauty of nature occasionally tangles itself in the dark reality of nature.

Good luck, baby whale. I hope you find your mama.