RIP little calf.
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I agree.It's pretty unfortunate what happened, but I'd rather my tax went to whales rather than couch potatoes
Jewly
Very Well-Known Member
Maybe if they euthanased a few prisoners we would have the money to be able to save these wonderful creatures
cement
Very Well-Known Member
Hi guys thanks for the comments.
Whats done is done, and the people in charge at the time did their best. As far as possible nature has been able to run her course here. Nobody was allowed to attempt feeding and the calf was basically left to its own devices.
It became weak from no nutrition and severly distressed and depressed. The call to euthanase will be condemned by some people no matter what. But it just simply reached a state where even its own mother could probably not have helped. No one there looked forward to having to do what was done.
There is no room for finger pointing, bad mouthing or blame as these are authorities that we wish to work with in the future.
The shark injuries were caused by cookie cutters, and were probably no big deal unless an infection gets in, but generally whales can survive this injury.
Sea Shepard has a wealth of marine scientist, marine mammal vets and maritime lawyers on board to help in situations like this, they are not a half baked group. They also have a huge amount of support from people who want to help financially with their endeavors. In this case it was just to little too late.
It is amazing how many people want to help in these cases. The only people that I have heard of that have something negative to say are actually on this forum. Must be a case of hide behind the keyboard. In person, its the anger towards NPWS and Maritime officials and water Police for not letting people help, that I come across but doesn't take much to calm them down and see that it was a tough decision that had to be made and they delayed as long as they could.
Cheers
Whats done is done, and the people in charge at the time did their best. As far as possible nature has been able to run her course here. Nobody was allowed to attempt feeding and the calf was basically left to its own devices.
It became weak from no nutrition and severly distressed and depressed. The call to euthanase will be condemned by some people no matter what. But it just simply reached a state where even its own mother could probably not have helped. No one there looked forward to having to do what was done.
There is no room for finger pointing, bad mouthing or blame as these are authorities that we wish to work with in the future.
The shark injuries were caused by cookie cutters, and were probably no big deal unless an infection gets in, but generally whales can survive this injury.
Sea Shepard has a wealth of marine scientist, marine mammal vets and maritime lawyers on board to help in situations like this, they are not a half baked group. They also have a huge amount of support from people who want to help financially with their endeavors. In this case it was just to little too late.
It is amazing how many people want to help in these cases. The only people that I have heard of that have something negative to say are actually on this forum. Must be a case of hide behind the keyboard. In person, its the anger towards NPWS and Maritime officials and water Police for not letting people help, that I come across but doesn't take much to calm them down and see that it was a tough decision that had to be made and they delayed as long as they could.
Cheers
Jewly
Very Well-Known Member
I still don't see how doing nothing is 'doing their best'. Yes, in the end the whale was too far gone to help, but that wasn't the case in the beginning. If someone had acted in the whales best interest right from the start, then I'm sure it could have been saved.
If one of us were to leave an animal to starve then we'd be charged with neglect.
If one of us were to leave an animal to starve then we'd be charged with neglect.
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I think in this situation your damned if you do and damned if you don't.
NPWS chose to euthanase and are coming under fire for it. If they said they were going to let nature take its course then they would have been accused of letting the animal suffer.
When I watch those docos on Africa where the lion or cheetah chase down the baby antelope, knocking it off its feet a few times before they finally kill it, or worse, the african hunting dogs that don't even wait until their prey is dead before they start ripping into it, I say to myself 'how can the camera crew etc just stand there and watch that happen, I would have to do something'. But 'thats nature'. They don't interfere.
So how is leaving this whale calf to let nature sort it out any different?
Don't get me wrong, I really wish there was something we could have done but I don't think anyone is in a position to judge NPWS.
NPWS chose to euthanase and are coming under fire for it. If they said they were going to let nature take its course then they would have been accused of letting the animal suffer.
When I watch those docos on Africa where the lion or cheetah chase down the baby antelope, knocking it off its feet a few times before they finally kill it, or worse, the african hunting dogs that don't even wait until their prey is dead before they start ripping into it, I say to myself 'how can the camera crew etc just stand there and watch that happen, I would have to do something'. But 'thats nature'. They don't interfere.
So how is leaving this whale calf to let nature sort it out any different?
Don't get me wrong, I really wish there was something we could have done but I don't think anyone is in a position to judge NPWS.
Yes but chances are that animal of ours would be a pet. This is a wild animal, not somebodys pet.
slim6y
Almost Legendary
dino - and others...
Figure this:
If the media didn't get involved NO ONE would have known....
Does a tree make a sound when it falls in the forest if no one is around?
Who cares - no one would know!
Would you care if a small earthquake, say 5 on the Richter scale dammed a river so all fish downstream died?
If media didn't report it - you'd never have known!
The same case would apply here...
Cement - thanks for your comments, was interesting to know.
I never thought any of the groups did anything wrong... I just don't know if anyone at all should have interfered at all (I'm really undecided on this one full stop).
Still... I am reminded of my wee starfish story... Can't save em all...
Figure this:
If the media didn't get involved NO ONE would have known....
Does a tree make a sound when it falls in the forest if no one is around?
Who cares - no one would know!
Would you care if a small earthquake, say 5 on the Richter scale dammed a river so all fish downstream died?
If media didn't report it - you'd never have known!
The same case would apply here...
Cement - thanks for your comments, was interesting to know.
I never thought any of the groups did anything wrong... I just don't know if anyone at all should have interfered at all (I'm really undecided on this one full stop).
Still... I am reminded of my wee starfish story... Can't save em all...
Vincey
Well-Known Member
Its not like the whale was in the middle of being eaten. If it were the case, im sure people would watch in fascination, horror, whatever emotion one would feel. I agree with letting nature take its course.
But i also believe that we are a part of nature. So eh..
slim6y, I totally agree with you. I was going to say in my post (but thought it already too long) that who knows how often this happens way out to sea and we are none the wiser. It's the old 'out of sight out of mind'.
I was also in two minds as to whether we should interfere or not, hence my 'damned if you do damned if you don't' comment.
I was also in two minds as to whether we should interfere or not, hence my 'damned if you do damned if you don't' comment.
hawkesbury reptiles
Well-Known Member
Well said Dino.....people shouldnt be judging something they know nothing about...especially the individual people involved. This was an extremely emotional time for eveyone directly involved, watching this whale day after day, looking for its mother, suckling and licking the sides of boats.....do you honestly think ALL avenues weren't explored!!
Jewly
Very Well-Known Member
In a word.....YES!!
And what if this calf had a severe genetic defect? What would have happened if people saved it and it ended up breeding? Whatever happened to survival of the fittest? Sure this is sad but hey it's nature THIS IS HOW NATURE IS MEANT TO WORK human's interfering and saving weak animal's just creates weak genetic's.So really what is the value of it to the specie's? And no im not having a dig at wildlife carers etc who rehabilitate animal's injured in accident's etc but if its from natural cause's nature should be allowed to take it's course and not be interfered with. And in this particular situation the correct action was to put the poor thing out of it's misery.
craig.a.c
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All I can say is "Get over it".
How many other young calfs have died out at sea and been eaten like nature intends?
Just because people decided to name it something had to be done. It was going to die so it should have been left to do so and other animals could benifit from it.
How many other young calfs have died out at sea and been eaten like nature intends?
Just because people decided to name it something had to be done. It was going to die so it should have been left to do so and other animals could benifit from it.
Jewly
Very Well-Known Member
So if a pod of whales suddenly beached themselves on Bondi, do you think we should do nothing to try and save them?
daniel1234
Very Well-Known Member
Exactly. Nature taking its course? Ok man is a creation of nature we can choose to allow things to live and die....lets just let our animals do as they will, lets let them run ferral, lets kill what we want be it scientific reasons
or because it tastes good. Man is an act of nature and so lets breed everything with anything and see what freaks we can get. If we dont like that one we'll breed another to control it and then another to control that one. Come on people stuff the enviroment! Can't you see it is just nature taking it's course. Cant you see that man is destined to to infest this earth until there is nothing left. After all it is in our nature to destroy ourselves. Thats just nature right. So come on everyone, live for the moment, care nothing for anthing but you, if it is in the way, kill it, cut it or just knock it down. She'll be right mate, it's nature after all.Oh yeh, and remember that everything on TV is true. There really is a Big Yellow talking bird that lives in a place called Sesame Street.
Dino's right, damned no matter what. The calf died, if it lived the people who got off of it and tried would be hero's. All the nay-sayers could have called authorities to get involved, there is always some one higher up. Yet it is easier to do nothing and be critical of everything.
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hawkesbury reptiles
Well-Known Member
HAHAHA....anyone who actually hangs off every word the media say really have to start thinking for themselves.......Some of the editing I have seen (especially a current affair and today tonight) makes me so angry, especially when I was there when they were filming and then saw how they twisted the whole story :x.
The media coverage for the whole thing was so twisted that the only true info is from people who were actually there......so rather than believe everything you hear on the media, maybe do some of your own homework and make an informed decision......
daniel1234
Very Well-Known Member
Exactly. Truth be known, I don't watch alot of TV because I work arvo's and I have family and stuff. The only thing I really know about this is this thread (which I read yesterday) and a nay-sayer I handed over to last night. So I am really as -or more guilty- as all those sitting back bagging those that got up and tried.
Justie
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