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Drone footage shows a humpback whale missing its tail fin, suspected to have become entangled in fishing gear.
Drone captures image of a “tailless” whale off the Pacific Ocean (Photo: The Whale Museum).
A humpback whale (scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae) appeared to have a torn tail and missing fins due to entanglement in fishing gear and was discovered off the coast of Washington state, in the Pacific Ocean.
Initial assessments suggest that the whale may have lost its tail fin due to becoming entangled in fishing lines or other fishing gear.
Experts say that although the whale is trying to adapt to the lack of body parts, it will likely die of starvation and exhaustion.
The lobe fin is the main part responsible for creating propulsion when whales swim. Without this part, whales will have difficulty moving, even if the injury is not too serious.
“The whale is missing a very important part of its body,” said Jessica Farrer, director of research at the Friday Harbor Whaling Museum. “We know that humans caused it.”
Close-up of the whale’s amputated body part (Photo: The Whale Museum).
“Their eyes are so big and our oceans are full of fishing lines that it’s not uncommon for humpbacks to get tangled in fishing lines and drag them along,” Farrer said.
The whale, named Catalyst, was first spotted on July 5 east of Swindle Island, Canada, and then reappeared on July 10 near the mouth of Campbell River, on the east coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, according to the San Juan Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
Despite its injuries, Catalyst has traveled nearly 600 kilometers since it was first sighted. On average, the whale travels between 5.5 and 7.5 kilometers per hour.
Farrer reiterated that without its tail fin, the whale would likely die of starvation or exhaustion. But he added that if Catalyst could adapt to a new swimming technique, it could survive.
“In this situation, the whale will start moving with its pectoral fins. Then it will adapt to start using its peduncle (the part that connects the caudal fin to the body) in a side-to-side motion,” Farrer explains.
Entanglement in fishing nets and vessels is a major threat to whale populations worldwide. According to the International Whaling Commission, about 300,000 whales die from entanglement in fishing nets each year.