poor colin

[Robbo]

I was thinking why don't they just high one of CHC Helicopter's puma's and lift him up and dump him out further?

 

 

 

Then again don't we have some Sky Cranes here at the moment? I am sure Elvis would help out #-o

 

THE baby humpback whale stranded in a Sydney waterway will be euthanased some time tonight, wildlife authorities say.The decision was made at a meeting of NSW Parks and Wildlife Service workers, scientists and representatives of other agencies early tonight.

 

Rescuers have opted against making another attempt to shepherd the starving 4.5 metre whale calf into open water.

 

Affectionately named Colin, the calf is believed to be about two or three weeks old.

 

It was first spotted on Sunday, nuzzling up to a yacht in the northern Sydney waterway, apparently searching for its mother.

 

A veterinary report late this afternoon found the animal was in a very poor condition and would probably not live through tonight.

 

The mammal is suffering from previous shark inflicted injuries, is experiencing breathing difficulties and its flukes are hanging down.

 

THE fate of a baby humpback whale stranded in a Sydney waterway has been decided, with Colin set to be euthanased to end his suffering.The decision was made at a meeting of NSW Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) workers, scientists and representatives of other agencies after the calf's deteriorating health took a drastic turn for the worse.

 

Rescuers have opted against making another attempt to shepherd the starving 4.5 metre whale calf into open water, the NPWS said.

 

Affectionately named Colin, the calf unexpectedly appeared on Sunday at The Basin, inside Sydney's Pittwater, and returned on Tuesday after being towed out to sea.

 

"The vets who had a look at him were really surprised at how fast he'd gone downhill,'' NPWS spokesman John Dengate said.

 

"He's having difficulties breathing and his flippers were at an unnatural angle.

 

"Their advice to us was `he's not going to last much longer, he's suffering and you should take action'.''

 

About 30 people from NPWS and other agencies were involved in the operation and are "shattered'' over the outcome.

 

"It's a really tragic result from an operation that people worked really, really hard,'' Mr Dengate said.

 

Experts agreed that saving Colin was a near impossible feat and any attempts to prolong the inevitable would bring more hurdles.

 

Curt Jenner, managing director of Western Australia's non-profit Centre for Whale Research, said even trying to feed the whale by hand was a logistical nightmare.

 

"There's no way that the logistics of feeding that animal by hand or in an aquarium is going to work,'' Mr Jenner said in a statement.

 

"There are too many difficulties with it, and the animal first of all has to be convinced to eat out of a tube, its got to get to an aquarium, and then you've got to find a product for it to eat which you can supply for probably a year.

 

"So I think for humans to try and keep it alive is just going to end up as a disaster.''

 

If the plan worked, then Colin would somehow have to be placed next to another nursing adult - a massive operation with doubtful outcomes.

 

"Get it into the vicinity of the other cow and calf and hopefully the cow would take on two calves, which would be pretty unusual.''

 

Associate Professor Peter Harrison, director of Lismore's Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre in NSW, said a colleague who saw Colin yesterday noticed shark bite marks on his back.

 

"There were four cookie cutter shark bites in it, and that has most likely occurred while it was out in the open water - it's just another thing that compounds the whole problem,'' Mr Harrison said.

 

"Even if they are able to entice the calf out into open water, it would face a higher predation pressure from sharks.''

 

NSW Premier Morris Iemma today agreed the outlook for the 4.5m humpback was "bleak''.

 

"Our hearts are breaking with what's happening with baby Colin,'' Mr Iemma said.

 

"It's looking bleak, but every effort is being made.''

 

He said zoo and veterinary scientists were working to save Colin while federal Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has offered to mobilise defence force assets if required.

 

"The key here is, he's weakening, he's losing (the) strength to get him fed and a pod that will care for him,'' Mr Iemma said.

 

"The chances are not good.''

 

Mr Dengate said Colin would be euthanased with an overdose of anaesthetic at the earliest and safest possible time.

 

"He'll just go to sleep,'' he said.