PROVINCETOWN, Mass. — A Massachusetts marine science center says it has disentangled a humpback whale off of Cape Cod.
The Center for Coastal Studies says its Marine Animal Entanglement Response team disentangled the whale off Ballston Beach in Truro. The team was conducting a research survey on Tuesday when they came across a whale that was stuck in fishing gear about 2 miles off the beach.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gave the team authorization to attempt the disentanglement. The animal swam away when it was released. The team says it appeared to be in good condition.
Whales are experiencing a year of high mortality off of New England and Canada. Researchers say right whales, in particular, have experienced more deaths than typical.