Outrage in Australia over 'murder' of lost baby whale who thought a yacht was its mother

On Friday, the heartbreaking decision was made to put the three-week-old humpback calf out of her misery.

Animal lovers had sought a Supreme Court injunction to prevent the whale, nicknamed Colin before they realised he was a she, being destroyed.

Put down: The humpback whale dubbed 'Colin' is lifted on to a truck

But by the time the documents were issued, the creature had been given a lethal dose of anaesthetic.

Her final moments in Pittwater Bay, 30 miles north of Sydney, sickened many animal lovers when they saw her thrashing about as she was dragged to a beach then winched on to a truck.

There were cries of 'murderers' at the scene, followed by a deluge of angry and tearful calls to radio stations.

'It was shocking  -  absolutely disgusting,' said local boat captain Alexander Littingham, who was among a number of activists witnessing the whale's death.

Killed off: The dead animal is hauled out of the water

'We watched the rangers as they towed the poor little thing behind a boat after giving it the shot and no one needed to be told what that scene reminded them of  -  Japanese fishing trawlers killing whales.'

Animal lovers from around the world had given their suggestions for saving the life of the creature which returned to the yacht despite being lured out into deeper water.

Attempts by an Aboriginal 'whale whisperer' to pacify the stricken calf failed to have an effect.

Sea of heartbreak: The baby whale trying to find milk from the yacht

One man suggested making a rubber whale with 'feeding slots' in the side  -  female whales do not have teats  -  through which the young whale could take a formula, even if the exact make-up of whale milk was not known.

But scientists insisted that Colin's fate was sealed when she was separated from her mother, whose carcase is believed to have been found drifting out at sea, mangled by sharks.

She would not have been able to find a surrogate mother and trying to keep her alive in a confined space with milk formula for at least a year was not practical.

Mistaken identity: The baby humpback whale trying to suckle from an Australian yacht