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Satellite tracker deployed to aid rescue of entangled humpback whale

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Rescuers are using a satellite tracker to monitor a humpback whale entangled in green rope and five buoys off the New South Wales coast.
  • The whale was last seen heading south past Cronulla Beach, and rescue efforts will continue Sunday if the tracker remains attached.
  • Eight humpback whales are currently entangled along the coast, with two successfully disentangled in the past two weeks.

Rescue teams are pinning their hopes on a satellite tracker to aid in the disentanglement of a humpback whale spotted off the coast of New South Wales, Australia. The whale, estimated to be eight meters long, was found entangled in green rope and five white buoys approximately three kilometers off South Head on Saturday afternoon.

Disentanglement is highly skilled and dangerous, and crews will only attempt to do so if conditions are safe.

— NPSW spokeswomanThe spokeswoman explained the conditions under which rescue teams would attempt to free the entangled whale.

Specialist teams from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) successfully attached a satellite tracker to the animal in the early evening. The whale was last observed traveling south past Cronulla Beach. If the tracker remains in place overnight, rescue operations are scheduled to resume on Sunday, provided conditions are safe for the highly skilled and dangerous disentanglement process.

We believe they may be off the far north coast of New South Wales now and heading into south-east Queensland.

— Pip JacobsPip Jacobs provided an update on the location of other entangled whales.

This incident is one of eight whale entanglements reported along the New South Wales coast during the annual northern migration. Pip Jacobs, a spokeswoman for the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA), stated that another seven whales are believed to be further north, potentially near southeast Queensland. ORRCA urges the public to report any sightings of entangled whales to assist in rescue efforts.

So we urge anyone who sights an entangled whale to please call through to the ORRCA hotline so we attempt to get help to that animal.

— Pip JacobsPip Jacobs appealed to the public for assistance in reporting whale sightings.

Jacobs highlighted the dangers involved, imploring untrained individuals not to approach the distressed animals, which can weigh up to 40 tonnes and exhibit stress responses when entangled. Marine debris, such as nets and ropes, poses a significant threat to whales, and prolonged entanglement can lead to starvation, injury, or death. Two whales have been successfully freed in the past fortnight, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the ongoing challenges.

It's incredibly complex and incredibly dangerous and we implore anyone to not undertake this themselves.

— Pip JacobsPip Jacobs warned against untrained individuals attempting to rescue entangled whales.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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