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Whale That Swam Miles Upriver in Northern Australia Heads Back Out to Sea

A humpback whale that stunned marine ecologists after swimming around 20 kilometers upriver in Australia’s Northern Territory headed back out to sea on September 20.

The ABC reported that experts tracking the animal’s progress spotted it nine kilometers off the Van Diemen Gulf on Sunday, after it had spent 17 days in the East Alligator River in Kakadu National Park.

The whale was one of three discovered in the crocodile-filled river on September 2, reports said.

According to Kakadu National Park, experts believed it was the first time humpbacks had entered the river.

“It’s been fantastic working with staff at Kakadu as well as expert scientists to identify ways to assist the whale, but I’m very happy it has found its own way,” said Dr Carol Palmer, a senior scientist for Northern Territory government.

“This is the very best outcome we could have hoped for.” Credit: Kakadu National Park via Storyful