San Jose Mercury News - Whale rescue takes on life of its own

San Jose Mercury News - Whale rescue takes on life of its own: "Whale rescue takes on life of its own
By Julia Prodis Sulek
Mercury News
Artic
Steve Edinger from the California Department of Fish and Game might as well have been talking about the rescue of a toddler stuck in an abandoned well. He had that same kind of passion in his voice when he told reporters this week that no matter the cost, 'we'll see this operation through - hopefully, successfully.'

The assistant chief of the state agency was talking about two lost and injured humpback whales, an endangered species, stranded with failing health 45 miles up the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. For nearly two weeks, their plight has become an international media obsession and prompted thousands of people to skip work and pull their children out of school - all to stand on the banks of the Sacramento River and root for the majestic creatures to find their way home."