Gretchen the Humpback Whale

This is the story of Gretchen, the humpback whale. Gretchen is known for caring for other marine animals in distress - at times saving them from certain death. Once, Gretchen lifted Luis, the seal pup, onto her back to keep him safe from a giant orca whale searching for dinner. Like Little Molly, Gretchen cares for other creatures in the Land of Terra and risks her own wellbeing to keep them safe. This is surely easier for a forty-foot whale than it is for a tiny duck, but even so, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up for another creature.

You might think that humpback whales are just fish and don’t really care about other Terra creatures, but this is not the case. Whales are mammals just like humans and do many of the same things that humans do. They sing songs, they communicate with one another, they cooperate in groups, and they care for their young. They are compassionate toward other creatures, not only their own. Perhaps we have much to learn from Gretchen, the humpback whale.

*Note - evidence of altruistic behavior in humpback whales found on the Mother Nature Network at http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/humpback-whales-around-globe-are-mysteriously-rescuing-animals-orcas.