Whales

True Story - Stranded Humpback

This is precisely what happened to a humpback cow just east of the Farallone Islands, off the coast of San Francisco. She had become trapped in a mass of lines and traps and struggled for hours just to stay afloat. The weights of the traps and lines pulled tirelessly at her body, exhausting her and her efforts despite her length of 50 feet. The ropes were wrapped around her body and tail, even cutting into her mouth.

Finally, a fisherman spotted the struggling creature and called an environmental group for assistance. It took several hours for them to arrive with the correct equipment and helpers. However, when they arrived, they realised how badly entangled she had become. They were unable to lift her and they could not cut through the masses of rope from their elevated position. Their only option was to dive in and untangle her. This could prove fatal for the divers if they were at the receiving end of her tail’s violent, panicked swishing.

Nevertheless, several rescuers dived in and began sawing away at the ropes. After hours of tiring sawing, all the while trying to remain afloat themselves, the rescuers had cut through all of the ropes, freeing the anxious cow from their vice grip. Although physically and emotionally drained, the whale began to swim in circles as an indication of her joy and relief. After this, she did something that took all of the rescue workers and onlookers by surprise. She approached each diver and nudged them gently as a token of her appreciation for their efforts to save her. This act of gratitude gave the divers a glimpse into the intricacies and level of understanding that whales have, even with a completely foreign species. The diver that had been working closest to her head reported that her eye followed him wherever he went; she maintained eye contact with her rescuers, despite her anxiety.

Whales’ intelligence is not completely understood by researchers, which is why such acts of emotion are still haunting the minds and hearts of the rescuers who played a key role in the rescue of this magnificent animal.