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STAfter four days and 50 cuts, one exhausted humpback finally got a second chance to breathe.
In September 2024, a humpback was found off the coast between Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii so tightly wrapped in ropes, buoys, and fishing gear that its mouth was pinned shut and lines were embedded in its body.
The animal had likely been dragging that weight for months, unable to feed and barely able to surface.
DFO’s disentanglement team worked for four days to free it.
Entanglement is not rare here. Researchers estimate about half of BC’s humpbacks carry scars from being tangled in gear.
This rescue shows what’s possible when trained teams, proper equipment, and time are present. It also shows how fragile that safety net is, and why more people on this coast need the training to do this work.
With World Whale Day this Sunday, we’re reminded that welcoming whales back is only part of the story. Keeping these waters safe for them is the real work.
On a coast this vast, most entangled whales are never found. Guardian programs, supported in part through marine protected area funding, mean more trained boats on the water, more eyes in key feeding areas, and a better chance of getting help to a whale in time.
Footage by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
#WorldWhaleDay #HumpbackWhale #BCcoast #PrinceRupert #HaidaGwaii #MarineFoodWeb #StrongCoast
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