Humpback whale rescued after getting caught in fishing net

A delicate operation to entangle a humpback whale from a fishing net has been successfully carried out in Teriberka, Russia, the first of its kind in the country. The whale, named Stanislav, had become caught in the net, and was being protected by larger members of its family, making it difficult to get close enough to help. Rescuers were forced to make multiple trips, spending up to 14 hours a day at sea, waiting for an opportunity to cut the net and free Stanislav. After four days, the team were finally gifted an opportunity to get close enough to cut the net, removing it from around the whale’s head. They only had a few seconds to act while Stanislav was above water, but they succeeded. It’s thought that thousands of humpback whales die each year due to fishing nets and other human activity, leading them to be classed as an endangered species, and making this rescue operation even more significant