Sad end for orphaned whale

(01:12) Rough Cut

Aug 22 - A baby whale abandoned by its mother in Australia is put down by rangers after attempts to save it failed.

An orphaned whale calf which had tried suckling from a yacht in a futile bid to find its mother was given a lethal injection on Friday (August 22) as its condition deteriorated, Australian wildlife officers said.

The humpback whale, nicknamed "Colin" by local media, was found last weekend swimming beside a moored yacht at Pittwater Bay in Sydney, after being abandoned by its mother off Australia's east coast.

After the whale's death, veterinarians identified Colin as a female.

A veterinarian report and blood tests on Thursday (August 21) revealed the two-tonne calf, estimated as only two to three weeks old, was suffering from shark bite wounds and breathing difficulties and had only hours to live.

Some opposed the decision and said more should have been done to save her.

SOUNDBITES:

SALLY BARNES, HEAD OF NEW SOUTH WALES NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

DAVID BAXTER, MARINE BIOLOGIST