Two Humpback Whales Swam Safely To Freedom After People Jumped In To Get Them Out Of A Life-Threatening Situation
After local responders at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary helped two humpback whales escape from life-threatening entanglements, the animals were able to swim safely to freedom.
Humpback whales are one of the largest animals on Earth. They can grow up to 60 feet long and weigh up to 40 tons.
On January 8 and 9, trained local responders received reports about the entanglements off the coast of Maui, Hawaii. One of the incidents was reported by a local tour boat operator.
In response, a team of rescuers headed to the location of the stuck whale. When they arrived, they discovered that the whale’s mouth and tail were wrapped in about 200 feet of gauge line.
According to the sanctuary’s staff, the situation was so severe that it was unlikely the whale would’ve been able to free itself.
The team boarded a small, inflatable boat launched from its larger vessel to reach the whale and successfully cut the giant animal loose.
A day later, the sanctuary received another call about an entangled whale. People who were flying drones on the shore spotted a struggling whale in the ocean.
This time, the trained responders discovered an adult humpback ensnared in an even heavier gauge line. It was not the same whale from the day before. The line was wrapped around its body and constricting its right pectoral flipper.
The team removed the wrappings around the whale’s body, but they were unable to cut away all the gear on the whale’s flipper before it swam off.
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After the rescue operations, scientists determined that the gear tangled around the whales came from a humpback whale feeding ground off the coast of Alaska.
They had both been suffering for some time. Without any intervention, both of the entanglements had the potential to become life-threatening.
Officials are working on identifying the exact source of the gauge line to make sure that entanglement incidents like this will happen less often in the future. The best way to keep them safe is to keep them from getting entangled in the first place.
Ropeless gear offers hope for a future where whales can navigate the oceans without the threat of becoming entangled in fishing gear.
Gear entanglement can be a great danger to large whales, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
It can prevent whales from swimming, breathing, and feeding properly. Sometimes, they can free themselves, but they can remain stuck for days, weeks, or even years.
Luckily, whale watchers, other members of the public, and trained teams are all able to contribute to rescue efforts.
Hopefully, the two newly freed whales can go on with their lives without running into any more of the same trouble.
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