The river has been visited by stray Humpbacks before as noted as a link to the title of this entry. I can't help but wonder if the female came 'inland' to protect her calf. These beautiful and endangered species normally swim north to the Arctic Circle this time of year. I can't help but wonder if the calf was unable to maintain a good swimming speed and needed to rest or if it was being chased by Orcas/Killer Whales. She might be too scared to pursue an ocean venture with her calf.
The article doesn't really venture a quess as to the age of this female or whether this is her first offspring, but, Humpbacks have enough blubber to produce milk for lactation for some time, especially since she is freshly off her feeding/spawning grounds near the equator. It might be she has decided to raise her calf in a 'safe harbor' rather than the ravages of the open sea.
One of the reasons often given to these type of 'strandings' is illness, but, the scientists involved state they don't believe the whales are ill, except for some 'propeller' injuries, quite possibly. I believe those injuries are indicative to the reason why this female might want to stay in the river. Good luck to everyone, perhaps there should be a way to reassure her she would have a safe escort all the way north to gain her cooperation. Someone needs to find the ship that did this as well. Usually these whales are in protected waters and shipping routes are supposed to be void of any possiblity of hurting or killing these whales. I think this female is a very smart mother.
