Watch: NOAA Team Frees Humpback Whale From Tangled Line

A NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) response team freed an entangled adult female humpback whale outside Lahaina Harbour, Maui, in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary on Monday.

The adult female, accompanied by her calf and a male escort humpback, had a tight wrap of moderate gauge line wrapped around her head in front of her pectoral flippers. The wrap also included a large bundle of marine debris.

The six-hour response was challenging as all the gear, estimated at more than 550 feet of measurable line, was wrapped tightly around the whale’s head, where it posed a significant threat to the animal.

Once freed, the mother and her calf went into resting behavior, with the calf tucking under the mother’s chin. The successful response increased the survival chances for both the mother and her calf.