
4-day rescue frees entangled humpback whale off British Columbia coast
By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
A rescue off Canada’s Pacific coast has given one humpback whale a second chance at life. After being entangled in fishing gear for months, a 36-foot humpback whale has finally been freed after four days of rescue efforts.
Media Landscape
This story is a Media Miss by the right as only 11% of the coverage is from right leaning media. Learn moreBias Summary
- Volutpat posuere urna orci justo fermentum iaculis faucibus porta, sapien tempus lacus mauris dis et rutrum.
- Sagittis efficitur vel elementum mollis facilisis montes gravida vitae primis et maximus finibus taciti, blandit velit donec conubia enim viverra feugiat integer suscipit habitant laoreet luctus.
- Ex congue et diam eleifend varius vehicula tellus tincidunt consequat leo at, metus vitae convallis nunc eu dolor netus odio ornare.
- Magna semper vulputate risus sit etiam dolor ridiculus himenaeos, erat orci at sociosqu nam praesent.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
Video from The Associated Press showed ropes tightly wrapped around the whale’s body. Ropes can be seen just behind the blowhole and before its dorsal fin. After over 50 cuts to the netting, the whale was able to swim free.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Marine Mammal Coordinator Paul Cottrell said he was surprised at the scene, “I’ve never seen anything like it. The animal couldn’t open its mouth.”
His team was working on a necropsy for a dead fin whale nearby when they received a call about the entangled humpback.
Entanglement in fishing gear is a growing threat for humpback whales. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, 49 of 67 large whale entanglements in U.S. waters in 2022 involved humpbacks. Some groups are hoping the switch to ropeless fishing gear could held mitigate such dangers for the whales.
But this whale can now return to the ocean unharmed.
Jack Aylmer
A DRAMATIC RESCUE OFF CANADA’S PACIFIC COAST HAS GIVEN ONE HUMPBACK WHALE A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE.
AFTER BEING ENTANGLED IN FISHING GEAR FOR MONTHS, A 36-FOOT HUMPBACK WHALE WAS FINALLY FREED AFTER A PAINSTAKING FOUR-DAY RESCUE EFFORT.
VIDEO FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SHOWED ROPES TIGHTLY WRAPPED AROUND THE WHALES BODY, JUST BEHIND ITS BLOWHOLE AND BEFORE ITS DORSAL FIN.
AFTER MAKING OVER 50 CUTS TO THE NETTING, THE WHALE WAS SET FREE.
THE MARINE MAMMAL COORDINATOR FOR FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA, DESCRIBED THE SCENE AS ONE OF THE WORST HE’S EVER ENCOUNTERED.
HIS TEAM WAS WORKING ON A NECROPSY FOR A DEAD FIN WHALE NEARBY WHEN THEY RECEIVED A CALL ABOUT THE ENTANGLED HUMPBACK.
ENTANGLEMENT IN FISHING GEAR IS A GROWING THREAT FOR HUMPBACK WHALES. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL OCEANIC ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, 49 OF 67 LARGE WHALE ENTANGLEMENTS REPORTED IN U.S. WATERS IN 2022 INVOLVED HUMPBACKS.
THE WHALE CAN NOW RETURN TO THE OCEAN UNHARMED.
FOR SAN, I’M JACK A.
YOU CAN FIND OUR STORIES BY DOWNLOADING THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS OR VISITING US AT SAN-DOT-COM.
Media Landscape
This story is a Media Miss by the right as only 11% of the coverage is from right leaning media. Learn moreBias Summary
- Sem ridiculus ligula aliquam tortor nostra laoreet interdum magnis, habitant cubilia pharetra sodales ad eros dictum.
- Suscipit feugiat per tempor scelerisque sed malesuada non natoque facilisi eros quam ultricies parturient, himenaeos sit egestas vulputate vivamus conubia torquent risus neque vehicula maecenas mattis.
- Fringilla dui eros eleifend primis porta vel pulvinar tempus quis odio mollis, blandit natoque at ut ultrices urna et metus curae.
- Fames nibh molestie a orci aliquet urna aenean sapien, litora aliquam mollis efficitur ante praesent.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Right
Untracked Bias
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.