Whale caught ‘fighting for its life’ off Australian coast sparks fresh calls for change

A new campaign to dismantle anti-shark nets has been launched along the country’s east coast after a humpback whale migrating north for the winter became stuck and “fighting for its life” on Monday Morning.

Animal rescuer Taylor Ladd-Hudson, 15, received a phone call around 7.30am about a large whale stranded off Marcoola Beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and rushed to help . However, a group of paddle boarders had already managed to free the animal first, leaving the damaged shark nets floating on the water.

“It’s so sad to see this, to see humpback whales getting tangled in shark nets and along our coasts during the offshore migration season…they don’t have the energy to waste fighting for their lives,” she told Yahoo News.

This is the second whale entanglement in the region since the start of the migration season and rescuers are worried about the coming months, expecting at least 17 of the animals to cross their shores and even more on their journey home after the mating season.

Rescuers risk legal action to save ‘troubled’ whale

Rescuers had to risk legal action to save the large mammal which was seen “flooding in the shallows, unusually still, but still breathing”, as the Queensland government banned people from coming within 20 meters of the nets to sharks in the ocean.

“While the Queensland Government continues to place shark nets on the Humpback Road, brave people will continue to rescue, continue to resist and continue to campaign for change,” said Jonathan Clark, head of the Queensland Campaign. Shark Defense from Sea Shepherd Australia.

The organization is pushing for shark nets to be removed from the “humpback whale route.”

“These barbaric fishing gear do nothing to increase beach safety and it all harms innocent wildlife, our tourism industry and the credibility of our government,” he said.

Activists call for “modern technology” rather than mosquito nets

Although most of the community agrees that measures need to be put in place to restrict shark activity in areas where people frequently swim, shark nets have met with strong resistance as marine life often gets caught in them, causing havoc.

In March, a nearly 100-year-old turtle was found trapped in shark nets off the coast of northern Sydney. Rescuers said the animal would likely have drowned if they had not intervened. A fisherman broke down in tears after finding a dead dolphin floating in the water, trapped in shark nets.

Even the animals they are supposed to keep away often find themselves entangled, rather than simply being kept away.

“I’m very passionate about removing shark nets and replacing them with alternative modern technology,” Taylor told Yahoo News. Activists are pushing for alternative measures such as drone and satellite technology to track marine life for safety purposes so that the animals, as well as swimmers, are protected.

“I’ve helped deal with the last three humpback whale entanglements on Noosa Main Beach and it’s so devastating every season to see this happen again and again. »

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