New Zealand whale freed from fishing net in ‘particularly dangerous’ multi-day operation
The nine-metre southern right whale, or tohorā in Māori, is the first of the species to have been recorded entangled in New Zealand waters
TL;DR
- A southern right whale entangled in a large fishing net off New Zealand's southern coast was freed.
- This is the first recorded instance of a southern right whale entanglement in New Zealand waters.
- The rescue operation was complex and dangerous due to the whale's size and strength.
- A satellite tracker and a ferry detour were used to locate and monitor the whale.
- The whale was freed after 45 minutes of cutting the rope.
- Southern right whales are a taonga species for Ngāi Tahu and their population is increasing after near extinction.