Poor Colin passed away this morning after being given a lethal injection of anaesthetic. The baby humpback whale's condition had apparently worsened last night to the point where he wasn't breathing or sitting in the water properly. Colin hadn't eaten since Sunday when his mother abandoned him. It was expected he wouldn't survive the night but he was found this morning again nuzzling a yacht in Pittwater. It was decided then to put him down. Following the lethal injection, National Park and Wildlife officers apparently dragged the whale kicking and screaming for 300 metres across to the other side of the bay to lay him on the beach where he continued to moan. It all sounded a little undignified but perhaps they were trying to prevent him from sinking to the bottom of the bay and being attacked by sharks when he passed away.Sweet dreams Colin.
C
3 comments:
I heard on the news yesterday they have discovered that 'Colin' was a she and is now referred to as 'Collette'.
I was very surprised by how emotional and aggressive some people were about wanting to keep the whale alive. It was obviously losing condition and in a bad way. From a biologist's perspective, I don't think they could have saved her (she had already gone too many days without food).
I went from one extreme to the other reading this post; from trying to interpret the title of the post and then reading about the treatment the humpback whale received. Well, I am glad that you and your blog are still alive and kicking. But I am disheartened by the events that unfolded with the whale and how inhumane it seems it was treated. Hopefully it was better than I perceived it.
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