Rescuers are working to save a young humpback whale that washed onto a beach on the New South Wales mid-north coast on Friday. The animal, which is nine metres long and weighs around 18 tonnes, would remain beached at least until the high tide arrives in the evening, experts said.
Beachgoers spotted the whale in the surf at Sawtell Beach south of Coffs Harbour early on Friday and it washed closer to shore at about 7am.
The juvenile humpback will be monitored throughout the afternoon and night until workers attempt to refloat it with the high tide on Saturday morning, a national parks and wildlife service spokesman told AAP on Friday.
The whale is being watched by staff and volunteers from the NPWS, the marine mammal rescue group Orrca and Dolphin Marine Magic.
“Throughout the afternoon the animal’s condition will be monitored and first aid will be provided making sure the animal is kept moist,” the NPWS spokesman said.
“A plan is being put in place to give it the best chance of a successful refloat and release.”
Members of Orrca are on site to assist but the chances of saving the humpback are not good, a NPWS spokeswoman told AAP earlier on Friday.
“It’s not where it needs to be but we’re doing the best we can,” she said. “It’s being knocked about.”
As a juvenile, it may be the first time this humpback has made the migration northward and it would have experienced some big seas in recent days, the NPWS said. Up to 30,000 whales were estimated to be migrating north this season, it said.