Whale entangled in rope freed after ‘complex,’ 4-day operation off Canada, video shows

A humpback whale “severely” entangled in fishing gear was freed during a complicated, multi-day operation off the coast of Canada.

The rescue occurred not far from Prince Rupert — a port city in British Columbia — during the first week of September, Lara Sloan, a spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), told McClatchy News.

The animal was found to be extensively wrapped in a knotted mass of ropes and buoys, video footage shows.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Paul Cottrell, marine mammal coordinator for DFO, who was alerted to the whale, told CBC . “The animal couldn’t open its mouth…”

The gear had likely become attached to the whale over a period of months, per the outlet. And, without intervention, it would have “suffered a different fate.”

Over a period of four days, a rescue team cut away the entanglement.

Video footage shows team members approaching the animal in a small boat and breaking through the ropes with specialized equipment.

In total, more than 50 cuts had to be made to free the whale, Sloan said.

“This complex operation was successful due to the expertise of our Marine Mammal Response team, and local Prince Rupert DFO Fishery Officers,” she added.

Humpback whales, which are found throughout all the world’s oceans, are threatened by entanglements in addition to vessel strikes and ocean noise, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

An estimated 300,000 cetaceans — which include whales and dolphins — die annually as a result of entanglements in fishing gear and trash, according to the Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit organization.

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