Baby Humpback Whale Seeks Its Mommy

A two or three month old humpback calf has been spotted near the waters off the coast of Sydney, Australia, nuzzling up to a moored boat. Scientists believe that the poor baby believes the boat to be its lost mother.

The situation is very unusual and very concerning for scientists. Humpback whale mothers normally spend a year bonding and nursing their calves.

In this case scientists believe this calf's mother has for some reason abandoned it. The poor baby has no way to fend for itself and is now looking to the boat for food. Meanwhile, Marine experts are watching the whole situation helplessly.

Their only hope is that a whale passing by, will adopt and nurse this little calf. With the annual humpback whale migration currently going on, there is a small possibility that this could happen. However, for that, the baby whale needs to be out in the sea.

While scientists managed to coax the little whale out to sea on Monday, by towing the boat, it promptly returned the next day. Without its mother's milk, scientists believe that the baby will only survive for two to three days, but there is not much they can do to save it. Hopefully, the baby will realize that the boat is not a whale and swim out to the sea to look for a real 'mom'.

Sources:Stuff.com.NZ, Telegraph.co.uk