Rescue Operation Underway for Humpback Whale in Sydney Harbour

One of the world’s busiest harbors became the site of a major rescue effort on Friday after a young humpback whale was discovered entangled in fishing gear around its tail, CNN reports.

The rescue effort began on Thursday afternoon when volunteer rescue group ORRCA received a call about the 13-meter whale spotted in Sydney Harbour. In response, crews from the New South Wales large whale disentanglement team pursued the whale and managed to attach a GPS tracker; however, the device fell off shortly thereafter.

The operation paused overnight as darkness descended, but the whale was spotted again early Friday morning, reigniting the rescue efforts. Local media captured live footage from a helicopter circling overhead as rescuers attempted to approach the whale and cut the fishing gear loose. The video showcased the whale’s dark silhouette moving beneath the water, surfacing periodically to thrash its tail.

Using rubber boats, rescuers aimed to slow the whale’s movement by attaching orange floats to it, increasing its resistance in the water. Once they were close enough, they utilized specialized cutting equipment—blades attached to poles—to free the marine mammal.

According to wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta, humpback whales migrate along a route known as the “humpback highway,” where they occasionally become ensnared in fishing gear. The entire operation unfolded in a critical area of Sydney Harbour, a busy thoroughfare where ferries frequently travel between Circular Quay and Manly.

To ensure the safety of both the whale and the rescuers, authorities established an exclusion zone and warned other vessels to stay away. Government officials confirmed that the rescue operation did not impact cross-harbor commutes, allowing ferry services to continue as usual.