Whale entangled in rope off Fraser Island
A HUMPBACK whale was discovered by Hervey Bay whale watching crews in Platypus Bay with “rope wrapped around its tail, mouth and fins”.
A HUMPBACK whale is entangled in ropes off Fraser Island.
The whale, which appears to be seriously injured, was discovered by Hervey Bay whale watching crews in Platypus Bay about 11.30am (AEST).
Pacific Whale Foundation skipper Scott Whitcombe said the whale had rope wrapped around its tail, mouth and fins.
“It was quite concerning because it had very fresh wounds,” Mr Whitcombe said.
“Something didn’t seem quite right, because it was quite distressed at first, but then didn’t seem to worry about us.”
Mr Whitcombe notified the Department of Environment.
Rangers have been sent to assess the whale.
Last month, a juvenile humpback whale lost its life after it became beached on the NSW mid north coast.
The nine-metre whale was first spotted by beachgoers at Sawtell Beach, south of Coffs Harbour, in early June, and rough sea conditions over the next two days hindered rescue attempts.
The whale’s health deteriorated as the hours passed and the young whale, weighing about 10 tonnes, was put down, marine rescue organisation Orcca vice president Shona Lorigan said.
“It’s been taken away for scientific sampling — a necropsy,” she told AAP on Sunday.
The decision to euthanise the animal was difficult, she said, but rescuers considered the whale’s welfare and did not want it to suffer any longer.
The weather had not helped the situation with big waves and rough conditions delaying rescue boats until at least Monday, Ms Lorigan said.
The yearling whale was likely making its first migration from Antarctica to Queensland after being weaned, she said.
The whale was taken off the Sawtell Beach by the local council on Saturday afternoon and the beach has been cleaned, a National Parks and Wildlife Service spokeswoman told AAP on Sunday.
— Additional reporting by Australian Associated Press
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