Female humpback whale risks beaching to rescue calf
A 50-foot female humpback whale risked beaching herself today as she went to the rescue of her floundering young calf in shallow waters off Australia’s east coast.
About 60 people and local police rushed to rescue the calf after it got into trouble at the southern tip of North Stradbroke Island, close to Queensland state capital Brisbane.
The disoriented calf initially tried to swim back toward the beach after rescuers pushed it out to sea before the mother shepherded it toward safety, said Trevor Long, director of marine sciences at Australia’s Sea World theme park.
“We were able to witness from the helicopter the big female come in and round the little one up,” Long said. “She’s just really pushed it on its nose to get it right out and took it out to sea.”
Long said there were some concerns about the health of the calf because it made eight attempts to head back to the beach after being rescued.
“Whether it’s freshly newborn and being rolled in the surf has disoriented it, hopefully that’s all it might be, and it gets out to deep water and continues to follow its mom back down to Antarctica,” he said.
Staff from the park regularly help in rescues of whales that become entangled in shark nets that protect beaches in the region.
