Annals of Intervention–Free Willy: Divers from the Center For Coastal Studies and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are going to try to disentangle a North Atlantic Right Whale from some fishing gear that has been killing it slowly for more than a week. The whale was tagged with a satellite transmitter off the coast of Florida, and has been tracked north while the teams wait for suitable weather. Today could be the day. Why all this effort to save a single whale? Well, there are only about 300 North Atlantic Right Whales, and every year a few are run down by ships or wrapped up and killed by fishing gear. So every one counts (find out more about Right Whales here). But it’s not easy working with an exhausted, panicked 40 ton animal. You should see the size of the syringe used to sedate the whale…



“You humans made this gear….So get it the hell off me. Now!”

(Photo: NOAA)