The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) Marine Animal Entanglement Response team (MAER) disentangled a humpback whale calf yesterday off of Gloucester, MA. The whale, identified as the calf of Scylla, was first reported as entangled on June 25 near Provincetown, and was free-swimming with wraps of rope around its body. Due to the young age of the whale (around five months old) the entanglement would have proved lethal as humpback whale calves grow quickly while still nursing from their mothers.
No response was possible on June 25 since the entanglement was discovered by whale watch vessels just before sunset. Yesterday, multiple whale watch vessels out of Massachusetts discovered the mother and calf off the coast of Gloucester and reported the sighting immediately. Multiple vessels agreed to stay with the pair while the MAER team responded from Provincetown. Once on scene the team found Scylla feeding with her calf close by. Injuries across Scylla’s body indicate that she had been entangled as well but had shed the entanglement on her own.
Approaching mother/calf pairs is generally fraught with difficulty since mothers can be very protective of their calves. While Scylla was preoccupied with feeding, the team was able to carefully approach the calf with a 30-foot pole and cut both wraps of rope encircling its body. A small length of rope was left on the calf that should be shed by the whale quickly.
Many thanks go to the whale watch vessels Aurora, Sanctuary, Privateer IV, Whale Watcher and Sea Salt. Without their prompt reporting and standing by, this would not have been successful.
Boaters are urged to report any entanglement sightings of whales, sea-turtles or other marine animals to the MAER team (1-800-900-3622) or the US Coast Guard on VHF 16, and to stand by the animal at a safe distance until trained responders arrive.
CCS disentanglement work is supported in part by grants from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA-DMF), the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, and private foundations and donors. All disentanglement activities are conducted under a federal permit authorized by NOAA.
About the Center for Coastal Studies
The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) in Provincetown, MA is a non-profit organization dedicated to understanding, preserving and protecting marine ecosystems and the coastal environment through applied research, education and public policy initiatives. For more information go to www.coastalstudies.org.
Link to Youtube video of disentanglement operation: https://youtu.be/lMptkAVb4AY