36-foot whale rescued from ropes during ‘complex’ 7-hour operation, video shows

A humpback whale ensnared in ropes was rescued off the coast of Australia during a complicated, multi-hour operation.

The distressed animal was found in Lalang-gaddam Marine Park, a protected marine area, according to an Aug. 15 news release from the Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia.

Upon being alerted to the situation, specialist park rangers based in Broome traveled roughly 230 miles by helicopter to reach the scene.

When they located the whale — which measured about 36 feet — they found it was “heavily entangled” in more than 200 feet of rope.

The animal was “unable to move and was slowly running out of energy to keep breathing,” rescuers said.

Situated in a boat alongside the whale, the rescuers began cutting the tangled mass of ropes.

“Working over seven hours with local industry staff, the team carried out a careful and complex operation to successfully disentangle the humpback,” officials said.

Video footage shows the marine mammal breaching the surface and swimming away, liberated from its perilous constraints.

“Thanks to everyone involved for your outstanding work,” the organization said.

Entanglements pose grave risks to whales as they can cause lacerations and infections, and may ultimately lead to drowning or starvation, according to the International Whaling Commission.

Every year, an estimated 300,000 cetaceans — which include whales and dolphins — die worldwide as a result of entanglements in fishing gear and ocean trash, according to the Marine Mammal Center, a nonprofit.

This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 2:25 PM with the headline "36-foot whale rescued from ropes during ‘complex’ 7-hour operation, video shows."