Search on for Young Whale Caught in Plastic Line

Imagine taking a whale watch boat and, by chance, you see a whale with  a large green plastic line wrapped around its tail.  What would you do?

Of course, you would tell a grown up right away, so that someone could help that entangled whale.

Last Monday, on a whale watching cruise in Hawaii, that's exactly what happened. Officials are trying to save the young humpback whale entangled in a large green plastic line wrapped around its tail.

Humpback whale mother and calf. Photo by silke@silkephoto.com.au

Humpback whales visit Hawaii's warmer waters every year. But even in Hawaii's beautiful blue waters, our plastic trash still causes trouble for all marine life. 

Fortunately, there is the  Hawaiian Islands Entanglement Response Network that safely responds to marine animals in distress.

You and your family can learn more about whales on this page of whale trivia.

Divers Free Whale From Fishing Line

Last week, divers near the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary in Maui  discovered a humpback whale caught in fishing rope.

Rope & Buoys on Humpback Whale Tail

It took several efforts to remove more  than 200 feet (61 m) of line and two buoys from around the whale.

Fishing Rope Caught on Humpback Whale

These gentle giants swim 3,000 miles from Alaska to the warmer waters of Hawaii in the winter.  They rest and give birth to their calves--usually from January thru April.



Photos and story courtesy of NOAA.