Whale calf beached at Nambucca after being stranded in river
The calf was pushed back out to sea several times as locals scrambled to save it and a maritime vet was called to assess the situation.
Coffs Harbour
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A four-metre juvenile humpback whale was stranded at Nambucca Heads over the weekend.
Members of the public called authorities just before 7am on Sunday.
Fishermen attempted to push it back out to sea several times but it kept returning and it became re-stranded several times.
Orcca, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Nambucca Valley Council were all on scene working together to assist the whale.
“Sadly the calf, which was in poor health, had to be euthanised on advice from a marine vet,” a National Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson confirmed.
If you see a stranded, entangled, or sick whale, please report it immediately to NPWS on 13000PARKS or ORRCA on 9415 3333.
The majority of humpbacks in Australian waters migrate north from June to August, and back towards the Southern Ocean from September to November but this can vary depending on water temperature, sea ice, predation risk, prey abundance and the location of their feeding ground.