Rescuers were hoping to free a tangled humpback whale calf on Tuesday afternoon, if weather conditions stayed favorable.
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National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) spokeswoman Sarah Scroope said three rescue vessels were on the water off Narooma monitoring the calf and its mother.
A large NPWS vessel, Shearwater, based in Narooma, and specialist crews from Ulladulla and Merimbula in rubber duck crafts were keeping a close eye on the mammal.
“The crews will assess the situation and determine if it is safe to cut the calf free,” she said.
The crews will assess the situation and determine if it is safe to cut the calf free. It depends on the weather and the behavior of the mother
- Sarah Scroop, NPWS
“It depends on the weather and the behavior of the mother.
“They hope to free the whale today (Tuesday).”
The tangled whale was first reported off Depot Beach, in the Murramarang National Park, shortly after noon on Monday by a helicopter crew who spotted it from the air.
Rescuers are likely to attach floating buoys to the whale calf to prevent it from diving, before attempting to cut it free.
Bad weather forced a rescue crew to abandon hopes of helping the young whale on Monday afternoon.
National Parks and Wildlife Service team leader Lawrence Orel has overseen similar rescue efforts elsewhere.
“We want to assure people that we are keen to assist the animal, but that the safety of everyone is paramount,” Mr Orel said.
“It can’t happen until both animals are calm enough and that usually happens when they are exhausted and tired out.”
Once the mother is calm enough, crews in rubber boats will approach and use cutting hooks to free the entangled whale.
“We are going to need to pay attention to the mother as they are usually very protective,” he said.
“The urge of the mother to protect its calf is a major a factor in any rescue attempt.
“In this case, we have a mother whom, as most would appreciate, is the calf’s only source of protection and food.
“They rely entirely on their mothers for survival.”
Mr Orel said the stricken calf was a humpback, travelling with its mother south to Antarctica after the winter breeding season in Queensland.
He estimated the calf was born this season.
In Spring 2014, a young humpback whale died on route to Antarctica and washed up at North Head.
That story attracted international attention. That summer another whale was taken by sharks off Broulee.