Video: Sea Shepherd Launches Viral Video of Whale Captured in Net

BAJA CALIFORNIA, Mexico – February 24, 2016: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has launched a video of this weekend's rescue of a humpback whale, entangled in an illegal gillnet. The video received over 113,000 views on Facebook after its first day, almost 4,000 shares and hundreds of excited comments from fans. In total, over 543,000 people have been exposed to the video on Facebook. The Sea Shepherd video shows the humpback whale desperately trying to free itself from the net while Sea Shepherd urgently works to save the whale, with assistance from the Mexican Navy.

On Friday, February 19, 2016, the crew of Sea Shepherd's research vessel of R/V Martin Sheen spotted a humpback whale entangled in an illegal gillnet within the Vaquita Refuge in the Gulf of California, Baja California, Mexico. While Captain Oona Layolle, campaign leader and captain of the M/V Farley Mowat, notified the Mexican Navy and the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the crew began the rescue operation. The whale was estimated to be 35 feet long and crews from both vessels worked to free the whale by cutting the gillnet off the whale's head and torso.

https://youtu.be/L49AbW3wvJY

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