Gray Whale Rescue

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Gray Whale Rescue
Whale watchers at Dana Point Harbor in California spotted trouble on Friday night, March 23. A young gray whale was trying to swim with fishing net and rope wrapped around its tail! After gaining permission from the National Marine Fisheries Services, Dave Anderson of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari went into action. It was getting dark so he attached a buoy to the 30-foot-long whale to mark its location overnight. His overnight "babysitters" named him Bart, after a crew member. In the morning, Captain Dave's team, wildlife rehabilitation staffers and boaters with special training and gear gathered for a rescue attempt. They spent seven hours untangling Bart from the discarded fishing net tangled around his flukes. Captain Dave told what the young whale did before heading back out to sea: "He came right up to our boat and almost mouthed, like, a thank you. It was pretty awesome." The LA Times newspaper reported that Bart was last seen swimming four miles off Corona de Mar and looking healthy. This week's research question explores challenges faced by these whales in their annual migration of 10,000 miles. Safe travels, Bart!

Courtesy of Captain Dave at Dolphin Safari.com

Gray whale rescued when its flukes became entangled