Entangled humpback whale calf freed off the coast of Sydney
By Frances Howe
A humpback whale calf has been freed after being entangled in a rope and buoy for several hours off Sydney’s coast.
Members of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Large Whale Disentanglement Team and officers from the NSW Water Police freed the calf just after 4pm on Wednesday.
A whale and calf spotted off the coast near Bondi. Credit: NSW Maritime
A National Parks and Wildlife Service spokeswoman said a hook and short line were still attached to the whale but hoped both would detach as it swam.
The calf, which was accompanied by two adult whales, was first sighted off Warriewood on the northern beaches about 10am. The trio were spotted again just north of Bondi Beach about lunchtime.
Macquarie University wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta said the whales were part of about 40,000 travelling south on the “humpback highway” annual migration route to Antarctica.
“Whale entanglement [in fishing equipment] is a global issue and we see it in Australia annually,” she said.
In August, a humpback whale was trapped in fishing netting in Sydney Harbour for at least 22 hours before it was freed by a Parks and Wildlife team.
Get to the heart of what’s happening with climate change and the environment. Sign up for our fortnightly Environment newsletter.