Orca Network Asks For Public's Help With Entangled Humpback Whale

SEATTLE, WA - The Orca Network has requested the public to keep an eye out for a humpback whale that was first seen entangled in the Haro Strait area near Henry Island Friday. A coalition of organizations that make up the Large Whale Entanglement Response Network have responded to more than 100 entangled whales.

"The techniques for disentanglement rely on attaching ropes to the gear that entangles the whale, to allow responders to get close enough to make cuts using long poles with hooked knives," a statement from the Orca Network said. "The gillnet on this whale is fragile and no equipment is capable of attaching to it.

"The good news is, it is expected that the gillnet on the whale will be shed on its own over time. However, complete documentation of this whale will help researchers understand the impacts of entanglements on this individual and of the humpback populations in general."

Haro Strait is in the northern Puget Sound region near the Canadian border.

Anyone who sees the whale should call 1-877-SOS-WHALE (877-767-9425). (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Seattle Patch, click here to find your local Washington Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Image via Orca Network