Fourth and fifth whales in two weeks caught in shark nets off Mooloolaba
More clear footage has shown a baby whale entangled in a shark net as its mother surfaces close to authorities working to free the animals. WATCH THE VIDEOS.
Footage has revealed a whale calling out as it struggles in a shark net off the coast of Mooloolaba, marking the third similar incident in two weeks on the Sunshine Coast.
A Queensland Department of Primary Industries spokeswoman confirmed a mother and juvenile whale were caught in a shark net off Mooloolaba Beach on Thursday, September 25.
The spokeswoman said a shark contractor crew and marine animal release team successfully freed the pair about 7.30am, an hour and a half after it was first reported.
The net is currently being replaced.
“Our teams were on the scene very quickly and were able to successfully remove all of the netting,” she said.
The spokeswoman said it was dangerous to approach whales trapped in nets and to phone the shark control program hotline on 1800 806 891 to report any incidents.
Footage taken by Matthew Clarke shows clear vision of the baby whale’s back over the water and surrounded by the buoy and markers of the shark net.
The mother’s head can then be seen surfacing briefly towards the back of a boat holding a team working to free her baby, before she appears to briefly nudge the boat with her back as she surfaces.
More footage, taken by Leigh Hartland and posted in The Beach Matters Group on Facebook, shows one of the whales surfacing near a shark net and blowing water, with two boats in close proximity along the net.
One of the whales can be heard calling out in the video.
In another video, the onlooker can be heard stating “she’s still got rope around her” before clapping ensues as the animal is freed.
Taylor Ladd-Hudson and Sea Shepherd Australia also reported a dolphin was killed in shark nets off Noosa Heads on Wednesday, September 24.
In a video uploaded by Ms Ladd-Hudson on her Instagram page, the dolphin remains unmoving whilst completely entangled, with its head and most of its body submerged.
It appears a baby dolphin was also trapped alongside its mother.
This comes after a whale was caught in a shark net off the coast of Marcoola less than a week ago on September 19.
A release team was able to free the baby, which had shown clear distress and discomfort.
Less than two days earlier, a wildlife filmmaker caught a baby whale on camera entangled in nets and struggling to breathe off Noosa Heads as its mother, also entangled, fought to help it resurface.
Both whales were also successfully released.
This was the same net Ms Ladd-Hudson reported a dolphin to have been trapped and killed in.
