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Two humpback whales freed from fishermen’s nets off US coast

The whales endured a long ordeal as rescue teams fought to untangle the mammals from the nets using hook knives

New York

Thursday 19 May 2016 18:55 BST

The whale was spotted dragging a fishing buoy, entangled in fishing lines (Scott Benson / CWR)

Two humpback whales have been rescued off the coast of California as they had become dangerously entangled in fishing gear.

Crab fisherman Calder Deyerle and his five-year-old son Miles spotted an adult humpback towing heavy crab fishing lines and floats four miles off the Californian coast.

They called the California Whale Rescue (CWR) which found that fishing lines had been caught on both sides of the whale’s flukes - the two lobes separating the tail.

The rescue team mounted a hook knife onto a pole and managed to free the animal after seven hours, as reported by CNN.

Authorities credited the fishing duo for their willingness to “stand by”, which was “vital to the success of the event”.

CWR explained that the late crab fishing season, due to end in June, has clashed with the whale migration and has caused several whales to be caught up in fishing gear.

A CRW video below shows the process of freeing another whale which became entangled in April.

Two humpback whales freed from fishermen’s nets off US coast

In a separate case off the coast of Massachusetts this week, another humpback whale was freed after almost 12 hours when it was first spotted with white fishing lines wrapped around its head and flippers.

The most controversial animal killings

Show all 6

1/6The most controversial animal killings

The most controversial animal killings

Cincinnati Zoo worker shots and kills Harambe, the 17-year-old gorilla

Harambe, a 17-year-old gorilla was shot and killed by a Cincinnati Zoo worker after a three-year-old boy climbed into a gorilla enclosure and was grabbed and dragged by Harambe. The incident was recorded on video and received broad international coverage and commentary, including controversy over the choice to kill Harambe. A number of primatologists and conservationists wrote later that the zoo had no other choice under the circumstances, and that it highlighted the danger of zoo animals in close proximity to humans and the need for better standards of care

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

The most controversial animal killings

Walt Palmer (left), from Minnesota, who killed Cecil, the Zimbabwean lion (pictured here with another lion shot in Africa)

Walter James Palmer has been named by Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force as the shooter of Cecil, a 13-year-old prized lion. He is now wanted by Zimbabwe officials on poaching charges. The lion was protected and the subject of a decade long study by the Wildlife Unit of Oxford University in the UK. He was outfitted with a GPS collar and was killed in Hwange National Park. The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority and the Safari Operators Association said that two men were charged with poaching in connection to Mr Palmer

The most controversial animal killings

Kendall Jones hunting images

Kendall Jones, a 19-year-old Texas Tech university student, has provoked worldwide fury after posting pictures of herself smiling next to animals she hunted, including a lion, rhinoceros, antelope, leopard, elephant, zebra and hippopotamus

The most controversial animal killings

Rebecca Francis hunting images

Rebecca Francis, a huntress who has killed dozens of wild animals has been sent death wishes by furious social media users after a picture showing her lying down next to a dead giraffe was circulated. Rebecca Francis has a website and Facebook page dedicated to the animals she has killed in hunts across Africa and America. Francis, a prolific hunter who has also co-hosted the television show Eye of the Hunter, regularly posts pictures of herself posing next to dead bears, giraffes, buffaloes and zebras, among other animals. She uses a bow and arrow to kill her prey

The most controversial animal killings

The slaughter of Marius, an 18-month-old healthy giraffe in Copenhagen Zoo

Copenhagen Zoo made the controversial decision to euthanise a healthy giraffe named Marius, which was later dissected and fed to lions as visitors watched. The slaughter sparked a furious backlash from social media users and zoo staff have received death threats by phone and email. Soon after the incident, Copenhagen Zoo faced an international outcry once again after four healthy lions were put down

The most controversial animal killings

Swiss Dählhölzli zoo kills healthy brown bear cub

A Switzerland zoo faced heavy criticism from animal rights groups, after keepers put down a healthy brown bear cub to spare it from being bullied by its dominant male father. The 360 kg male bear Misha had already killed one of his 11-week old cubs in public and was bullying the second, staff at the zoo said, because he was jealous of the attention the cubs were receiving from their mother, Masha. Both adult brown bears had been donated to Bern’s Dählhölzli zoo in 2009. Campaigners condemned staff there for not separating the cubs, who are being referred to as Baby Bear Two and Baby Bear Three, and their mother from Misha after their birth in January

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The whale was also dragging along an orange fishing buoy, making it easier for rescue teams to keep track of it, found ABC News.

“If the whale is kept at the surface, it's possible for a team to use knives to free the animal,” said Charles Mayo of the Center for Coastal Studies.

Several boats helped to free the animal, which can be dangerous work as whales can act unpredictably or thrash about when approached.

Whales and other marine life have been seriously injured in the past or have died as a result of being ensnared in nets and crab pots.

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