An eight-metre humpback whale that was tightly entangled in a rope from commercial fishing gear off the coast of Australia has been freed by rescuers, video released on Friday (August 2) shows.
The Sea World Foundation said the marine mammal, off Burleigh Heads, was covered in sea lice with significant skin lesions and they were unable to remove a tight section of rope that was deeply embedded in its skin.
The organization said it was the fourth whale rescue operation the team had conducted this migration season due to commercial fishing crews.
“We encourage operators to properly manage their equipment and report any missing equipment to the relevant authorities so we can be prepared to assist,” they added.
