NSW: NPWS finds whale, to put it down

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2008
NSW: NPWS finds whale, to put it down

SYDNEY, Aug 22 AAP - Wildlife authorities have found the baby whale abandoned off Sydney
and are expected to put it down today.

The injured baby humpback whale affectionately called "Colin" was found motherless
and starving in a northern Sydney waterway earlier this week.

A meeting of National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW (NPWS) workers, scientists and
representatives of other agencies last night decided to put down the calf to end his suffering
after its condition took a drastic turn for the worse.

The NPWS last night was unable to find the whale, which unexpectedly appeared on Sunday
in The Basin, inside Sydney's Pittwater, and returned on Tuesday after being towed out
to sea.

NPWS spokesman John Dengate this morning said the whale calf had been found.

"He has been located this morning," he told Fairfax Radio Network.

"He is still alive and he's in very poor condition."

Rescuers opted not to make another attempt to shepherd the starving 4.5-metre whale
calf into open water.

Head of the NPWS Sally Barnes said it was a very hard decision.

"We had expert advice that the animal probably would not make it through the night,"

Ms Barnes told ABC radio last night.

"It was suffering extremely so we've had to make the very difficult decision."

AAP krc/mn

KEYWORD: CALF DAYLEAD

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