PROVINCETOWN – A young humpback whale was freed from entanglement early yesterday morning by a rescue team from the Center for Coastal Studies.
The whale was first spotted by recreational fishermen on Saturday off the coast of Chatham, but sea conditions prevented the Marine Animal Response Team from performing a full entanglement operation.
Crews were able to attach a satellite buoy to the whale to track its movements. Sea conditions settled down late Monday night, and the team set out early Tuesday morning. By that point, the whale was about 55 miles southeast of Highland Light in Truro.
The team found the whale badly entangled, with the line through its mouth and tight wraps of rope around its tail. Rescuers say the whale “was essentially hogtied.” After about three hours, crews were able to cut the rope, freeing the whale.
This was the seventh whale rescue off the coast of the Cape this year. Six have been humpback whales, and one was a minke whale.
Any boaters who encounter an entangled animal should contact the Center for Coastal Studies.
Please report entangled whales or sea turtles to the Center for Coastal Studies Hotline: 1-800-900-3622. Thank you!