Was euthanising Colin the whale really the only option?

Question

I felt really sad throughout the whole story. I know he was starving and distressed, I only wish with all the world's great minds, technology and resources, that we could have come up with another way. What do you think?

Answer 1

My answer to the original question is:    yes, Colin had to die.

If  afreshpath_admin  is to be on the right track. Colin cant be saved so walk away and let nature do it.

That in my eyes is a very simplistic and savage view on things.

Its easy to stand on the side line and complain yet complaining ignores the facts that from the day it was established that Colin was separated from its mum and she was long gone, Colins death was set.  

As that is the facts then the people on location did as you suggested but only up to a point where waiting longer would have been inhumane.  

*** They waited as long as they could in the hope the mum would return. ***

This was done to the point that the animal was in great pain.  It was then that an injection was given.  

As for the question of why not give the special milk formula.  

In raising this question people are proposing that a choice was made days ago not to do this so that the people on the ground could have the pleasure of putting this whale down.    

Is that how you see it????????

Sometimes when nursing a distressed baby animal they simply wont eat. My guess is trials were done and Colin showed no interest.  

Maybe stress of  missing her mother had something to do with it.  I was not there. I must put my faith in the people that were.

Answer 2

I thought it was the dumbest and most careless decision EVER! If they had already confirmed that the whale was definately going to die, then why couldn't they give it the special formula suggested. If they had given the formula to colin, he could still die (which he was already doomed to) Or he could live! His choices were Die, Die Trying, or LIVE! But yeah it was pretty sad, and I feel sorry for the guys watching the injection. :(

Answer 3

In my opinion it was the wrong thing to do. That action disrupted what is a natural event in the wild. Once they determined what the whales situation was and that there was nothing they could do to save it, they should have just gone away and let nature take its course.

Answer 4

well said to the first guy, my thought exactly!!! they should have left it alone. how many other animals in the sea might now starve when they could have fed on that whale like nature intended?

Answer 5

there were three options they had for colin

1. Adoption through another mother whale

2. euthanasia

3. Human Feeding it

they didnt had to put the poor thing down, in the newspaper it said they could of  fed it by pumping the milk into its stomach, unfortunately they left it too long,

the fact that they putit down wasnt wat sadened me, but how they did it.

it was disgraceful. not only did they inject it 7 times with a large needly but they dragged it across the ocean whilst it was still alive, and even when they brought colin onto the beach and put it into a tent to inject it it was still alive! and they call that humane! dragging it across the ocean whilst its still kicking, and putting putting it on the beach wen its still alive is cruely. i hate the people that did that too colin, not only that but now there taking it to taronga to get an autospsy :(   :(

Answer 6

Actually, even if the news didn't reach me, I think it's not the only option. We can give him dextrose and spray hm with water until the tide takes him. Or we can push him to sea. Even if those don't wok, there surely is to be another way.

Answer 7

I don't think it was the only option at all. It was probably the most profitable. We can send men to the moon but we couldn't save a baby whale? Shame on Australia. Maybe if there was a gold medal up for grabs we would have tried harder.

What's the point of fighting to stop killing the whales in other countries if we are happy to kill them here in Australia? Of all the resources we have at hand in today's society we could not relocate and save this poor creature. Why not feed Colin? Search harder for her biological mother or find her a surogate mother? Or put netting around Pittswater to protect her from sharks?

A note to the marine biologists and other associated workers on this case, hang your heads in shame because you've got blood on your hands. Do us all a favour - reconsider your careers!

Once again bureaucratic bullshit has got in the way of saving an animal. We have been watching this whale for the past week get weaker and weaker and yet nothing was done to help Colin. I'm deeply saddened and disgusted. Aussie spirit dies here.