Additional Coverage:
- Young humpback whale freed from fishing tackle that had entangled its tail in Sydney Harbor (newsbreak.com)
In Sydney Harbor, a young humpback whale caught in fishing gear was successfully freed after a rescue effort lasting nearly 24 hours. Marine experts disentangled the whale’s tail from the ropes late Friday morning, after which it swam eagerly towards the ocean through the Sydney Heads.
The entrapment was first spotted at 1 p.m. Thursday by a whale-watching cruise, triggering a massive rescue mission that resumed at dawn on Friday with the deployment of boats, drones, and helicopters.
Vanessa Pirotta, a whale expert from Macquarie University, observed that the whale appeared extremely exhausted from its ordeal, indicating it might have been entangled before it was spotted. She shared with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. her concerns about the whale’s physical state post-rescue, noting both the mental and physical toll the entanglement and subsequent rescue operations may have had on the animal.
The operation involved the coordinated efforts of volunteers from the Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia. Jessica Fox, a representative from the organization, explained that buoys were attached to the rope entangling the whale to restrict its movement, making it possible to cut the ropes and free the animal. During the rescue, the whale exhibited erratic behavior, moving in circles and changing direction frequently.
While it is unusual for whales to linger in the harbor, Pirotta mentioned that the whale’s decision to stay rather than head to open waters potentially facilitated the rescue efforts. The age and gender of the humpback whale, deemed a juvenile (up to 4 years old), remain unknown.