Whale Won't Leave Calif. River

A gray whale wandered up the Klamath River in northern California almost a month ago and isn't being swayed by increasingly strong hints that it's time to go. The 40-ton whale arrived with its calf in late June. Though the calf weaned itself from the mother and returned to the ocean last weekend, the mama whale is refusing to budge, AP reports.

Ten boats took to the river recently, banging pipes with hammers and slapping the water with branches in a failed effort to herd the whale downstream. Another team played killer whale and alarm sounds through speakers yesterday, to no avail. Scientists fear that the whale won't be able to find enough food in the river and may become trapped when the water level drops. (More California stories.)