After numerous attempts failed to c

After numerous attempts failed to coax him back to the ocean, Humphrey's inability to find his way out of the slough kept the nation and eventually the world enthralled. Several weeks of being trapped in the fresh water of the Sacramento Delta brought signs of physical stress in the whale. His skin was graying and he was becoming more and more listless. None of the traditional herding techniques were working, and Humphrey appeared to be dying.