Footage of a juvenile humpback whale that was recently freed from fishing gear thanks to a quick-thinking whale watcher and the dedicated teams from the NSRI and the South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) is currently doing its rounds on social media, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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Last month, the rescue operation, which occurred near Miller’s Point on 18 September, was caught on video by rescuers and posted on the NSRI’s social media accounts.
Despite rough seas, the crew’s swift actions ensured the whale’s survival.
The SAWDN crew began cutting the rope from the whale using cutting equipment. The crew cut four wraps of rope around the tail and one around the body. With the whale anchored to the sea bed and coupled with windy conditions, the task was not easy.
SAWDN members were however able to lift the fishing line that was anchored to the sea bed.
A further three cuts of the rope were made, which essentially allowed the whale to be freed.
Meanwhile, the NSRI and SAWDN have had their hands full with reports of entangled whales. Last week a juvenile whale was successfully freed from entanglement in Simon’s Town Harbour at the False Bay Yacht Club.
This came after the NSRI Simon’s Town received eyewitness reports of splashing and unusual activity, including heavy breathing, near a foreign catamaran moored at the harbour. Upon arrival, the crew found the whale trapped in the mooring strops of the vessel, whose French owners were abroad at the time.
Instead of using the usual SAWDN cutting tools, a knife from Donna Nicholas was employed to cut through the ropes. The whale, initially distressed, seemed to calm down once the crew began cutting. After several cuts, the whale was freed and slowly swam away. Once it realised it was completely untangled, it swam off confidently.
The South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) was established in 2006 in order to manage entangled whales using specialised equipment and is comprised of trained volunteers from the – National Sea Rescue Institute, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, Department Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Centre for Sustainable Oceans at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Nature, Mammal Research Institute, South African National Parks, South African Police Service, Cape Nature, Bayworld, various Boat Based Whale Watching and Shark Cage Diving Operators, the Rock Lobster Industry and the Octopus Industry and fully supported by the Dolphin Action and Protection Group.
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Picture: Screenshot