A member of the public freed a whale entangled in the shark nets off Westbrook beach earlier today.
Sharks Board Head of Operations, Mike Anderson-Reade, has asked the public not to interfere with the release of these mammals from the nets.
“We were on our way when we heard that the whale had been freed.”
“The public do not realise the power of these incredible animals, and could get seriously injured or killed trying to assist them,” he said.
Anderson-Reade heads up the Whale Rescue team and said they are highly trained to assist whales, and are on stand by to assist whales in distress.
“What is also of grave concern is that if an inexperience person attempts to free a whale, the animal may swim away still training part of the netting, which may later be the cause of its death.”
He stressed that whales are able to survive for long periods of time if entangled and as long as they can reach the surface are in no danger of drowning.
“People mean well but assisting a whale without training is very irresponsible.”
Normal whale behaviour includes breaching, lob-tailing and sky hopping and this is not to be confused with entanglement or seen as a sign of distress.
Suspected entanglements can be reported to the Sharks Board on 031-5660400.
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