These amazing pictures show two helpless whales being rescued within three days of each other after being caught up in ropes and flotation buoys used by local fisherman out at sea.
The two whales were heading to their breeding grounds in Hermanus, South Africa, which attracts thousands of British tourists every year, when they became entangled.
Whale watchers both times contacted the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) who have specialist cutting gear which they use to free the caught up whales and save their lives.
These amazing pictures show one of two helpless whales which were rescued within three days of each other
The two whales were heading to their breeding grounds in Hermanus, South Africa, when they became entangled
On Sunday the NSRI Hermanus duty crew launched to help a 12m whale in severe difficulties off the coast at Kleinmond and found it badly wrapped with rope and a buoy.
They used whale disentanglement specialist cutting gear and the NSRI said the whale appeared to sense it was being helped and allowed the crew to attach itself and cut away the ropes.
After 90 minutes of cutting the whale was free apparently healthy and none the worse for its ordeal.
On Tuesday the NSRI were called out again to disentangle a second but slightly smaller whale off the coast of Clovelly in Cape Town and the NSRI Simon’s Town crew responsded.
They found the whale with a rope wrapped around its tail eight times and again the trusting whale remained calm while they spent an hour and a half cutting the ropes off of its fluke.
The NSRI said the first whale appeared to sense it was being helped and allowed the crew to attach itself and cut away the ropes
Hermanus is the mecca of whale watching to get a good look close up at their calves from sometimes just a few metres away
The NSRI said the whale swam away ‘happy and healthy’ afterwards en-route to Hermanus.
Darren Zimmerman, NSRI Simon’s Town station commander, says:’We commend the many concerned members of the public who raised the alarm over their concern for the whales’.
Both rescues are great news as the whale watching season gets into full swing next month with thousands of tourists flocking to the town to glimpse the gentle giants of the deep give birth.
Hermanus is the mecca of whale watching to get a good look close up at their calves from sometimes just a few metres away from shore in the deep waters at their biggest breeding grounds.
As well as watching the new born calves the whales also mate again then after a month at the traditional mating grounds they head off again and return the following September.
The southern right whales grow up to 55 feet long and weigh up to 60 tonnes and feed on krill and plankton.
As well as watching the new born calves the whales also mate again then after a month at the traditional mating grounds
There are 10,000 left in the world and over a 1000 visit Hermanus each year.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said their teams disentangle about three or four years that get caught up in the buoys and ropes used by fisherman to catch fish and crustaceans.
He said that so far they have managed to save every whale they have been sent to rescue.