Actually, the nets are supposed to protect swimmers from sharks. But in Australia one has now wrapped around the tail fin of a humpback whale. Rescuers try to help the animal, which is still able to swim.
Brisbane – Animal rights activists fight off the Australian east coast for the life of a young humpback whale whose tail fin is trapped in a shark net.
Residents discovered the animal on Wednesday and alerted the authorities. Since then, rescuers have been deployed to rescue the marine mammal from its dangerous position. On Wednesday they tried everything for ten hours to cut the network, but the weather conditions made the work difficult, said Wayne Phillips of Sea World amusement park to Australian broadcaster ABC.
“It was a pretty emotional day. Trying to help such a large animal is quite emotional for the team, ”said the marine expert. “We’re back this morning, ready to try again.”
Animal rights activists: death trap for animals
The whale was equipped with a satellite tracking device on Wednesday. During the night he swam very far despite the impairment caused by the net wrapped tightly around his fin, it was said in the morning. “At the end of yesterday, he looked very lethargic. We’re very surprised at how far he got overnight, ”said Phillips. That is a good sign.
Authorities confirmed that the young humpback whale caught the shark net off the coast of Coolangatta on the Gold Coast and dragged it south with it. The incident sparked new discussions about the use of the controversial networks. On the part of the regional government, however, it was said that the safety of swimmers was paramount.
Animal rights activists have long warned that the hundreds of meters of shark nets anchored beneath the surface of the ocean can be death traps for numerous species, including dolphins and whales. dpa
