By the Staff of California Hoy
LA PAZ, Mexico — Marine rescue teams successfully freed a humpback whale that had become entangled in fishing gear off the coast of Baja California Sur, bringing an end to a complex, multi-day rescue effort during the region’s peak whale-watching season.
The operation was coordinated by the nonprofit organization Ecology and Conservation of Whales (Ecobac) and members of Mexico’s Large Whale Entanglement Response Network (RABEN), who worked together to remove heavy fishing nets that had wrapped around the massive marine mammal.
Initial rescue attempt interrupted by rough conditions
According to Ecobac, the rescue effort began Feb. 20 after the RABEN Loreto team responded to reports of a humpback whale trapped in fishing gear in waters near Loreto.
During the first attempt, responders were able to cut away part of the large net that had ensnared the animal. However, deteriorating sea and weather conditions forced crews to halt the operation before the whale could be completely freed.
Because the animal remained at risk, teams alerted other RABEN responders across the region and continued monitoring sightings in hopes of locating the whale again.
Whale located again and successfully released
Four days later, on Feb. 24, the whale was spotted once more near San Juan de la Costa, north of La Paz, allowing a second rescue effort to begin.
The RABEN La Paz team mobilized quickly and launched a new operation at sea. After several hours of delicate and physically demanding work, rescuers were able to fully remove the remaining fishing gear from the whale.
The animal was successfully released on Feb. 25, ending the rescue and allowing the whale to return to open waters.
Ecobac credited the success of the operation to the coordination of multiple agencies and organizations, including Loreto Bay National Park, Mexico’s National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), Espíritu Santo Archipelago National Park, FONMAR, Mexico Marine Wildlife Rescue Center, MMAPE, and ROC.
Marine conservation groups say such rescues are increasingly important as humpback whales migrate each winter to the warm waters of Baja California Sur, one of the most important breeding and calving areas for the species in the eastern Pacific.
Experts note that entanglements in fishing gear remain one of the most serious threats to large whales worldwide, making rapid response networks like RABEN essential for protecting these iconic marine mammals.
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