THE WHALE ENTANGLEMENT TEAM WITH THE MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH IS TRACKING A HUMPBACK WHALE. THE HUMPBACK WAS SPOTTED A FEW MILES OFF THE MONTEREY BAY ON SUNDAY TANGLED IN 50 FEET OF ROPE WITH CRAB TRAPS AND BUOYS ATTACHED. THE TEAM BELIEVES THE ROPE BECAME WRAPPED AROUND THE WHALE’S TAIL AND HAVE ATTACHED A SATELLITE TAG TO THE WHALE TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW IT. WHILE THE DISENTANGLEMENT TEAM IS OPTIMISTIC THEY CAN HELP FREE THE WHALE, THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED THAT OTHER WHALES MAY BECOME ENTANGLED AS WELL AND HAVE NOTICED THAT THE HUMPBACK IS STARTING TO MOVE MORE SLOWLY AS IT TIRES FROM THE STRUGGLE. OFFICIALS ARE STRONGLY ADVISING WELL-WISHERS TO NOT TO TRY TO ASSIST THE WHALE IN ANY WAY AS THE PRESENCE OF PEOPLE AND BOATS COULD DISTURB THE WHALE EVEN MORE.
