The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association responded to an entangled humpback whale calf in the Auke Bay area Wednesday, making strategic cuts in the blue\/green poly line trailing from the whale\u2019s mouth in hopes it could free itself.<\/p>\n
Spotters reported the 1-year-old calf nicknamed \u201cLincoln\u201d was entangled over a week ago. Lincoln was again located near Favorite Reef west of Auke Bay where a team of five marine mammal experts were able to make strategic cuts in the gear lodged in the whale\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe entangled animal is this year\u2019s calf of a commonly-seen humpback whale in the Juneau area,\u201d NOAA marine mammal specialist Suzie Teerlink said in a Wednesday news release. The whale is often spotted with her mother, nicknamed \u201cJuneauite.\u201d The pair is frequently spotted together in the Juneau area.<\/p>\n
NOAA received unconfirmed reports from a whale watching operation Thursday that Lincoln was spotted still entangled in the gear, said NOAA\u2019s Julie Speegle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are interested in sightings of Juneauite and her calf so we can relocate and reassess the calf to see if there is need for further response,\u201d Teerlink said.<\/p>\n
This is at least the second whale entanglement in the Juneau area this summer that has prompted a NOAA response and made headlines. A 40-foot whale became entangled in an anchor line on June 1<\/a>. NOAA unsuccessfully attempted to free<\/a> that whale and has since been unable to locate it because its tracking device fell off<\/a>.<\/p>\n The U.S. Coast Guard assisted in NOAA\u2019s response on Wednesday, Speegle said. The Coast Guard helped by setting up a perimeter and keeping boats at bay as NOAA worked.<\/p>\n Anyone who sees the entangled humpback calf should maintain a distance of 100 yards or more and immediately call the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 877-925-7773.<\/p>\n \u2022 Contact Kevin Gullufsen at kevin.gullufsen@juneauempire.com or call (907) 523-2228.<\/p>\n Related stories:<\/p>\n Leave it to beavers: Live cams at Steep Creek offer glimpse of nature<\/a><\/p>\n