Baby humpback whale separated from mother in Waikiki missing

In Ala Moana, Hawaii, a baby humpback whale that beached itself along the shore of Waikiki has been reported missing, according to experts.

According to Channel2 Khon News, the humpback calf was first reported to officials with NOAA on Wednesday near Fort Derussy Park. The agency stated the whale had come up to the shore towards the beach, and the people who were at the location pushed the calf back into the water. Experts say that was the wisest thing to do. Perhaps a predator had been chasing it, and the only hope of surviving was to come ashore?

A jet ski rider tried to help lead the baby swim back to the deep waters, but the baby then swam towards Ala Moana. Crews from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) spotted the calf swimming back and forth numerous times. There were no signs of its mother, and it is feared the two were separated; one reason the mother could have rejected her calf because there was something wrong with it, or something could have happened to the mother.

Since late Wednesday, crews from the University of Hawaii and Hawaii Marine Animal Response teams have tried to locate the calf, but with no success. Baby whales tend to stay with their mothers for about a year; this calf did not appear to have been much more than one week of age.

There remains a slim chance that the mother whale and her calf were reunited, however the odds are not promising.

The best way to proceed when spotting an animal in distress at the beach is to call NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline. The phone number is 1.888.256.9840.

(Photo via screenshot video released)

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