Sydney ferry hits whale and calf

6 Aug 2012, 3:42 pm   -   Source: AAP
A Sydney Ferry has struck a humpback whale and her calf in Sydney Harbour, injuring both. (AAP)

A Sydney Ferry has struck a humpback whale and her calf in Sydney Harbour, injuring both. (AAP)

Wildlife experts are assessing wounds to a humpback whale and its calf that may have collided with a Sydney ferry.

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A Sydney ferry has struck and injured a whale and her baby in Sydney Harbour.

The 8.40am (AEST) ferry from Circular Quay to Manly has been taken out of service after hitting an unknown object on Monday morning.

Aerial footage later identified a female humpback whale with a wound near its dorsal fin, and its calf with an 80cm gash.

Geoff Ross, NPWS coordinator of marine and fauna programs, said a whale watching boat and a NPWS vessel were tracking the mammals.

"We have information that suggests that a ferry may have collided with something in the harbour this morning and we have an injured humpback," Mr Ross told AAP.

"The injuries seem to minor at this stage."

The NSW Department of Heritage and Environment also said on its Twitter feed that the whale and her calf had left Sydney Harbour.

"Still moving freely. Hopefully will survive with just a nasty scar," it said.

Mr Ross said the adult humpback can grow to 14m and weight up to 40 tonnes.

He estimated the calf to be three metres in length and weighing up to three tonnes.

"Because they have a thick layer of blubber, any damage from a propeller usually doesn't impact on the muscle tissue.

The pair have left the harbour before heading north up the NSW coast.

A NSW Transport spokeswoman said the damaged ferry has been taken to Balmain for assessment.

The incident comes after a 10-metre, 20-tonne male humpback was found dead in an ocean pool at Newport Beach, north of Sydney.

A spokesman for Sydney Ferries said divers had inspected the ferry which had suffered a bent propeller.

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