32-foot whale entangled in fishing gear off Australia. Then comes ‘complex’ rescue

A humpback whale was freed from fishing gear off the coast of Australia following a complicated, multi-day rescue operation, wildlife officials said.

The animal — which measured between 32 and 39 feet long — was entangled in a fishing line near Rottnest Island, located a few miles offshore from Perth, according to a news release from the Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia.

“The line was wrapped around one of the pectoral fins, it also went through the whale’s mouth and then around the body,” a wildlife official said in a video accompanying the release.

On May 23, a rescue team attempted to cut the line, but the effort proved unsuccessful.

However, they implanted a satellite tag into the animal, which allowed them to track its movements overnight.

The next morning, the team headed out at first light to attempt to rescue it again.

“With this animal it was quite a complicated entanglement,” the wildlife officials said. “So it was quite a challenge…”

Eventually, the rescue team — which operated on a small raft near the whale — was able to cut through the line, freeing the massive animal.

“It’s a fantastic result,” the official said.

“A massive thank you to everyone involved in this rescue effort! What a way to kickstart the weekend!!” officials said in the release.

Humpback whales, which are found throughout all oceans, are now becoming more abundant following a 1985 ban on commercial whaling, which reduced their populations by over 95%, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization.

They now face threats from entanglements, boat strikes and underwater noise.

The animals are commonly seen off the coast of Australia in May as it is the beginning of their migration season.

This story was originally published May 24, 2024 at 1:15 PM with the headline "32-foot whale entangled in fishing gear off Australia. Then comes ‘complex’ rescue."