COLIN THE WHALE

From 7 News:

"Wildlife authorities in Sydney who are facing a public clamour to save a baby whale that has lost its mother, say they have to let nature take its course.

Lost and confused, the baby humpback whale has been trying to suckle a boat that he thinks is his mother.

Without his mother's milk, the calf - which has been named "Colin" - will starve to death.

Hopes were high after a delicate rescue mission yesterday guided the calf out to sea. But Colin the whale reappeared the next day near shore.

"I feel sorry for it," one local resident said. "I'd like to go feed it myself. But what can you do?"
Experts say the calf will probably only survive a week without its mother, and believe he has already been apart from her for five days.

A rescued calf has been reared in captivity before. A week-old Grey Whale was fed formula milk at Sea World in San Diego. However, Sea World on the Gold Coast does not have the facilities to look after the baby whale.

The calf's only hope is to find its way out to sea and join another pod of whales."