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Tragic detail spotted on whale off Aussie coast as time runs out in rescue mission

Tragic detail spotted on whale off Aussie coast as time runs out in rescue mission

Yahooa day ago

A humpback whale remains trapped in a tangle of rope, dragging a buoy behind it, after urgent rescue efforts failed to set it free when it was first sighted just south of Sydney Harbour on Sunday.
The adult whale is heading south, opposite the usual migratory path for this time of year, which is peak whale migration season.
Jessica Fox, Vice President of the Organisation for Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), said that the entangled whale has rope caught on its left pectoral fin and is dragging a buoy, described as light in colour and nearly white, trailing about 20 metres behind it.
She told the ABC the whale was likely to pass the coast of Port Kembla and Wollongong later on Monday morning. Earlier, the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Large Whale Disentanglement Team had been on standby, ready to intervene if conditions permitted and time allowed.
Rescuing entangled whales is an extremely complex and risky process. Several key factors make these rescues difficult: the unpredictable movement of large, distressed whales, the need for precise coordination to cut ropes without harming the animal or rescuers, and the complexity of the entanglement itself, which often involves multiple lines or old fishing gear.
Trained specialists must also work in open water under often unpredictable weather conditions, adding to the risk and difficulty.
Fox said time was running out for a safe rescue, but she stressed the importance of any new sightings, explaining that even if the team couldn't reach the whale before nightfall, up-to-date information would help track its movement and potentially guide rescue efforts the following day.
It was last seen at 2pm near South Head on Sunday.
"Humpback whales would usually all be still heading north this time of year in June," Fox said. "This is very unusual to see it travelling south so early in the season, and this is why we think this whale is in distress and it's turning around and heading back to the Great Southern Ocean."
🐬 Aussie dad and son's incredible encounter while fishing 5km off coast
🛥️ Tourists witness brutal event as whales 'change their behaviour' in seconds
🛶 Warning after 'unusual sightseer' prompts calls from worried Aussies
Fox said the whale had been travelling slowly, then at a rapid pace at times, signs that it's also under stress. It is not certain where the whale became entangled.
Specialist whale rescuers have been analysing video footage of the entangled humpback, provided by ORRCA and members of the public. Once the whale is located, the rescue team will determine the safest boat positioning needed to catch the rope and remove it.
The public is being urged to call the whale rescue hotline on 02 9415 3333 if they spot the whale.
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It took crossing seven freeways to find my favorite new burgers
It took crossing seven freeways to find my favorite new burgers

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  • Los Angeles Times

It took crossing seven freeways to find my favorite new burgers

I consumed six burgers in the last seven days. One was wrapped in yellow paper on a restaurant patio in Eagle Rock that felt like a friend's backyard. Two were smash burgers with crunchy, lacy edges in a coffee shop in downtown El Segundo. I drove to Compton for double chili cheeseburgers. West to Santa Monica for a thick patty and east to South Pasadena. In total, I clocked 204 miles on my Prius in pursuit of an excellent burger. This is not something meant to elicit praise, surprise, disgust or a call from my gastroenterologist. It's what happens when I eat something spectacular, then fixate on it for days. Most of the time, that something spectacular becomes the subject of this column. The accidental burger quest began in the patio of Cannonball in South Pasadena, with a cool breeze on my cheeks and the sound of the A Line train whizzing by, its tracks just beyond the restaurant's perimeter. The burger was familiar, a compact concoction of meat, cheese and bun that chef Matt Molina first introduced at Everson Royce Bar a decade prior. At Cannonball, Molina's new restaurant with partner Joe Capella, the two built the sprawling two-story restaurant around the burger. 'We thought this restaurant should be anchored by a burger that you can eat and not feel self-conscious about while you're sitting at a bar,' Molina says. 'Simple and compact. We'll do the burger, and the rest we'll figure out.' It's a burger resplendent in its simplicity, with every component precise. The four-inch patty, four-inch bun, 3-millimeter-thick slice of Tillamook medium cheddar and spoonful of Dijonnaise are four individual triumphs. The prime chuck patty is pressed into a ring mold, seasoned with just salt and pepper and cooked on the hot griddle. Light pressure is applied to create a discernible crust. 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Tangled humpback whale sparks rescue mission off Australia
Tangled humpback whale sparks rescue mission off Australia

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Tangled humpback whale sparks rescue mission off Australia

Wildlife rescue teams scoured Australia's east coast on Monday to find and free a distressed humpback whale tangled in a rope. Aerial footage showed the whale swimming south of Sydney Harbour trailing a rope attached to a floating buoy. "It makes it more difficult for the whale to dive," said Pip Jacobs from whale rescue group ORRCA. "It's tiring for the whale, which is already in a state of distress being tangled." The whale was about eight metres (25 feet) long, Jacobs said, indicating it was still "quite young". The rope appeared to be tangled around the whale's left pectoral fin, she said. "The way it is moving is quite erratic," Jacobs told AFP. "It's moving south which is unusual. "They should be heading north as part of their migration." Teams of volunteers and wildlife rescue experts were searching the coastline to pinpoint the whale's location, she said. But efforts had been hindered by choppy waters and blustery winds. "If conditions allow and we have eyes on the whale, the best-case scenario is we have a successful disentanglement. "If they are dragging gear it hinders their ability to swim freely. The worst-case scenario is the whale can't feed or swim." sft/djw/tym

Tragic detail spotted on whale off Aussie coast as time runs out in rescue mission
Tragic detail spotted on whale off Aussie coast as time runs out in rescue mission

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Tragic detail spotted on whale off Aussie coast as time runs out in rescue mission

A humpback whale remains trapped in a tangle of rope, dragging a buoy behind it, after urgent rescue efforts failed to set it free when it was first sighted just south of Sydney Harbour on Sunday. The adult whale is heading south, opposite the usual migratory path for this time of year, which is peak whale migration season. Jessica Fox, Vice President of the Organisation for Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), said that the entangled whale has rope caught on its left pectoral fin and is dragging a buoy, described as light in colour and nearly white, trailing about 20 metres behind it. She told the ABC the whale was likely to pass the coast of Port Kembla and Wollongong later on Monday morning. Earlier, the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Large Whale Disentanglement Team had been on standby, ready to intervene if conditions permitted and time allowed. Rescuing entangled whales is an extremely complex and risky process. Several key factors make these rescues difficult: the unpredictable movement of large, distressed whales, the need for precise coordination to cut ropes without harming the animal or rescuers, and the complexity of the entanglement itself, which often involves multiple lines or old fishing gear. Trained specialists must also work in open water under often unpredictable weather conditions, adding to the risk and difficulty. Fox said time was running out for a safe rescue, but she stressed the importance of any new sightings, explaining that even if the team couldn't reach the whale before nightfall, up-to-date information would help track its movement and potentially guide rescue efforts the following day. It was last seen at 2pm near South Head on Sunday. "Humpback whales would usually all be still heading north this time of year in June," Fox said. "This is very unusual to see it travelling south so early in the season, and this is why we think this whale is in distress and it's turning around and heading back to the Great Southern Ocean." 🐬 Aussie dad and son's incredible encounter while fishing 5km off coast 🛥️ Tourists witness brutal event as whales 'change their behaviour' in seconds 🛶 Warning after 'unusual sightseer' prompts calls from worried Aussies Fox said the whale had been travelling slowly, then at a rapid pace at times, signs that it's also under stress. It is not certain where the whale became entangled. Specialist whale rescuers have been analysing video footage of the entangled humpback, provided by ORRCA and members of the public. Once the whale is located, the rescue team will determine the safest boat positioning needed to catch the rope and remove it. The public is being urged to call the whale rescue hotline on 02 9415 3333 if they spot the whale. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.

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