RIP little calf.

[cement]

I just got back home from watching them euthanase the baby whale at Greater Mackeral Beach.
I tried to answer to the other thread but it was closed before I got a chance. I would like to tell my story as it may help to enlighten others.

The reality of the situation was that we were to late and the authorities got it wrong, no more no less.

I only heard of the calf's plight yesterday morning , spoke to a colleague who made some calls and with the backing of Sea Shepard began putting a plan together.

Firstly those of you complaining about the cost to tax payers, you have no idea.
Secondly , to Sdaji, I respect you as a snake man, but don't comment on issues you don't know about. It only adds fuel to the ignorant rumours and is a hinderance not a help.

The whale milk substitute formula was coming from SA, it comes in 20 kg bags and we needed 300kg. We needed to feed him daily for two weeks where he would then be strong enough to take out to sea and hook up with a passing pod. Whales are very passive and social creatures and will accept a calf and teach it all it needs to know. Sea Shepard were picking up the cost of the formula, I was using my boat and paying for all necessary fuel and had a volunteer crew of very experienced watermen and a maring biologist on standby.

The main problem was the delivery of the formula, the biggest problem was getting clearance. Our co-ordinator was in touch with Current affair and Burkes backyard and other media as well as trying to get the navy onside as they override the NPWS.

Like I said we were to late, i believe he was to far gone by this morning anyway. We are now in the process of working on a whale unit in conjunction with Sea Shepard, to help in future.To be a little more mobile and to get government clearance so the REAL experts can be on the job.

We don't mind spending hrs in the freezing water in the pouring rain, besides its what we do for fun anyway when the swell comes up.

Rest in peace little calf, we failed today but learned from it.

 

[daniel1234]

May the gods smile on you next time.
Sorry for the outcome, appreciate the effort.

The only time failures are failures are when we learn nothing from them.
Tax payers money....mmm I'm glad it was used for a good cause. Now I gotta go to work.

 

[Trouble]

Thanks for telling us that cement I agree... we have learnt from this, so the next time (If it ever happens(I pray it wont, in human sight anyway)) we'll be prepared.
Thanks for your hard work on trying to save Colin.

cheers
Trouble

 

[mysnakesau]

Poor little thing :cry: Thats sad. I am sure they thought they were doing the best they could.

Everytime I see whales on TV makes me want to get my marine training up so I can become rescue and care worker. I am already involved with FAWNA. Might look into it

 

[Chris1]

thanks for sharing your story,..i found it so sad hearing about him on the news and stuff,..mustve been great being able to be there incase u could help.

as far as cost to taxpayers goes, tehy use our taxes for so many things i disagree with i'd have been more than happy for it to be spent on him.

 

[Manda1032]

you can have my tax dollars, at least it would help line a little whales tummy then a fat politician!!
I will also be there with my own money, I don't earn much but I will give all I can.
Keep us informed of your project, I for one will support it 100%.
Goodbye sweet little Colin, If I could of I would have fed you day and night.

 

[bundy_zigg]

It is nature running its course, its a sad fact of life. This happens all the time - we just dont normaly see it. I Think the way it has been handled is really bad and shows just how poor our NPW are in Aus, i know people say THE GOLDEN RULE is not to intervene but i think thats a load of lalala! If i find a baby bird thats fallen out of the nest i raise it! if i find a baby flying fox i raise it! if i find and injured animal i take it to the vat. I have put myself out of pocket for many animals and will continue to. So to all thoses who say let nature take its course would you just walk past and animal that needed your help? and as for the tax payers money! we spend how many millions of $ on criminals and Things like the New Years eve fireworks? Our money is wasted all the time on crud at least this would have been doing a good deed!

 

[PhilK]

... so the REAL experts can be on the job..

...you? And Sea Shepherd? As opposed to veterinarians and scientists... Of course .

 

[caustichumor]

It sounds as though in this case any attempts would have merely prolonged the inevitable outcome, This was an extremely young, malnorished animal which had been injured by sharks. Good intentions and bottle feeding only heal so much.

 

[snakelvr]

R.I.P. 'Colin'. At least you won't suffer anymore. :cry:

 

[GSXR_Boy]

Wonder if people would feel the same if it was a shark or croc??

Good effort Cement

 

[reptile32]

they should have just left it alone, every one out there trying to save it has done more harm than good. R.I.P colin

 

[coatesy]

I think that it is great that Australian band together to help innocent animals. This time we were not succcesful but there (hopefully not) may be a next time and we learnt from our mistakes - isn't that what we teach our children? all those people out in the world saying we should have done more - do they know exactly why the mother abandoned him in the first place? It sucks but it is Nature.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

- do they know exactly why the mother abandoned him in the first place? It sucks but it is Nature.

Don't know if it's related but on a newsbreak they just said that a whale washed up on a south coast beach. Maybe her mum??

 

[kandi]

R.I.P Colin you were never mean't to be, cement it's a hard task and cheers to you.

 

[FNQ_Snake]

Ha ha, they didn't know how to even tell its sex!!! Makes we wonder how they ever thought they were going to keep her alive.

 

[xander]

Ha ha, they didn't know how to even tell its sex!!! Makes we wonder how they ever thought they were going to keep her alive.

Do you know how hard it is to tell a 2-3 week old whales sex????? David Blyde, the vet who euth it is one of the most experienced and compassionate marine vets around. This calf had injuries from shark bites and was decided BY the RSPCA,NPWS,Qualified EXPERIENCED vets and marine biologsts. Also we pay taxes for shark nets..... Which KILL hundreds of dolphins,turtles,whales,sharks a year.....GO FIGURE.

 

[Brother]

hey just a thought but I think that the reason that we sould not interven in nature is because of the food chain. If we were to follow around lions and saved all the animals they were about to eat the lions would die yes? How do we know for sure that from taking this animal out of it's environment that some other animal didn't die because it didn't get a feed?

 

[Hetty]

According to the news they injected it with an overdose of anesthetic, I would have thought that would affect the animals that feed on dead whales?

 

[xander]

There not feeding it out. They are doing an autopsy on it.