#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. In the Barents sea, a baby humpback whale named Stanislav was rescued after being entangled in fishing nets. This was the first time such a rescue operation was carried out in the Murmansk region.
A whale wrapped in nets was spotted by tourists in the Teriberka area in early June – the rope entangled the front part of the body.
Specialists from Sahalin went to rescue the Red Booker. Financial support was provided by Nornickel’s Kola MMC. The team included employees of Rosprirodnadzor federal environmental agency, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, public activists and experts from nature reserves.
On June 10, the group began searching for the Red Book baby. The whale’s location was determined using drones and information from ships. But it was very difficult to approach the animal – the whale was actively moving away from the boat with rescuers. According to the Rosprirodnadzor head Svetlana Radionova, the whale was most likely still a baby; it moved along with its relatives, and when people approached, another whale – apparently the mother – shielded it from the boat.
They managed to cut the net using a hook with a knife.
“Stanislav is saved! We’ve managed to remove the rope from the whale. After a two-hour chase and several unsuccessful attempts, rescuers managed to throw a hook with a knife onto the rope, which was squeezing the animal’s neck and mouth. Operation was successfully completed. Thanks to rescuers, social activists, scientists and the Nornickel company, which invested funds and effort to free the animal”, Svetlana Radionova wrote in her Telegram channel.
The ropes left deep marks on the Red Booker’s body, but researchers believe that he will be able to recover. Whales have very well developed integument regeneration; even large bites can heal.
Earlier, This Is Taimyr told about the life of the Norilsk bear Marfa, who was rescued on the outskirts of the northern city, as well as the rescue of a female musk ox in Taimyr – the animal was named Alana, now she lives in Royev Rouchey.
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Text: Angelika Stepanova, Photo: Severny Gorod MC’s archive
