Whale Helps Australian Rescuers Free Trapped Calf
Local Editor
Rescuers teamed up with a humpback whale to free her four-meter calf, who became entangled in shark nets off Australia's Gold Coast.
The mother pushed the calf above the surface of the water, while a rescue team from Sea World Australia and Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol cut the netting with specialized equipment.
Saturday's rescue near Coolangatta Beach took about 30 minutes, Mitchell Olivey, Sea World Australia communications manager, told Reuters on Monday.
Mother and calf swam away calmly in good health, the Australian Broadcasting Cooperation reported.
The mother propped up her offspring to keep it safe as rescuers worked to free the young whale off Australia's Gold Coast.
Staff from the Sea World marine park launched the operation on Saturday to save the four-meter calf, which was trapped off the coast of Coolangatta Beach after its tail became entangled in the netting.
Underwater camera footage shows the calf being cut free by rescuers, while its patient mother sticks by its side.
The uninjured pair swam together towards the South Pacific Ocean once the rescue was complete.
Despite the happy ending, the incident has reignited debates over the use of shark nets.
Experts in New South Wales have said the use of preventative nets on the state's northern beaches goes against expert recommendations of the government's own departments, as well as the scientific consensus.
Authorities argue the case for using the nets as there has been one fatality across 51 beaches where the scheme has been used since 1937.
However, there have been 33 attacks at the same beaches in the same period.
In the Ballina-Byron area of New South Wales there have been six attacks since the start of 2015.
Businesses have called for the authorities to act due to a sharp downturn in trade in the wake of the attacks.
In 2014-15, 189 sea creatures were caught in the existing nets.
Those captured included 44 target sharks - whites, tigers and bulls - as well as harmless shark species, dolphins and turtles.
According to government data 116 died before they could be released.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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