Rescuers have freed a juvenile humpback whale that was entangled in Sydney Harbour.
Confirming the news, Jessica Fox, second vice president of the Organization for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA), said everyone was relieved.
“The excitement was wonderful; everyone was very relieved to be able to see this young whale again, going back on his journey,” he said.
Crews are now monitoring the whale to ensure it is swimming freely.
Fox said there had been reports of whales entangled in several coastal areas, including Sydney and Newcastle.
ORRCA is also looking for three other entangled whales – one potentially north of Byron with ropes around it and two with ropes and buoys around it, possibly off the north coast of NSW.
How the whale entangled in Sydney Harbor was freed
The whale was first spotted around 1pm on Thursday near the entrance to Sydney Harbor by a whale watching team, who alerted ORRCA.
The whale later swam into the harbor near Rose Bay. The whale’s fins are believed to have been caught in a large fishing trap made of ropes and buoys.
Nine newspapers reported that the whale was quickly freed Friday after rescuers spent hours tracking it into the harbor.
Rescuers used specialized equipment to hold the whale in place while they cut the ropes in which it was entangled.
“We have sent members, rescuers, trained members to certain locations, around Sydney Harbour, including a drone operator, who is licensed, accredited and licensed through the Orca and National Parks,” Fox said.
“They were able to obtain footage that was vital to both tracking and identifying the specific type of entanglement this whale had.”
Large buoys had been attached to ropes tangled on the whale’s tail to slow it down and make the extrication process safer.
Previously, ORRCA said these buoys also help rescuers track the whale’s movements without relying on its need to surface for air.
“Entangled whales can behave unpredictably and change direction suddenly,” ORRCA said.
A 300 meter exclusion zone has been established around the whale to ensure its safety and that of the rescue team.