Orphan Colin the Whale to be Euthanised

Few days back, when I first read that a baby humpback whale calf thought that a yacht was its mother and tried to suckle from it (video on National Geographic News) I found it funny but, instead, it was a tragedy. First of all, the calf, named Colin, was thought to be rejected by its mother. Australian rescuers had tried to lure the calf to a passing whale pod by towing the yacht out to sea in hope that Colin will find a surrogate mother but found the calf returned the next day.

Now, the condition of the calf has deteriorated with shark bite wounds and breathing difficulties. It is not expected to live past tonight. Hence, the calf will be put down after dark with a lethal dose of anaesthetic to end its suffering... a way that we humans feel is most humane.