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Astroboy the Whale Escapes Fishing Rope Peril in Dramatic Rescue
23 Oct
Summary
- Humpback whale named Astroboy freed from entanglement
- Rescue operation involved DFO fishery officers and marine mammal team
- Whale was swimming fast and dragging 450 feet of rope
On October 22nd, 2025, a humpback whale named Astroboy was dramatically rescued from a life-threatening entanglement in fishing rope near Nanaimo, British Columbia. Melanie Warren, a naturalist working on a whale-watching vessel, first spotted the distressed whale and immediately alerted the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
DFO fishery officers, who were already participating in marine mammal rescue training, quickly responded to the scene. They were able to attach a satellite tag to the submerged trailing gear, which eventually helped pull off the entangled rope. In total, the whale had been dragging approximately 137 meters (450 feet) of poly steel rope.
The rescued whale, identified as BCX2152 (Astroboy), is a Hawaiian humpback that migrates to the waters off British Columbia. According to the naturalist, the whale was swimming unusually fast for a humpback, likely due to the burden of the entanglement.
DFO has emphasized that marine debris, such as fishing gear, is a "real problem" for whales and other marine wildlife. They urge the public to properly dispose of any packing material, banding, rope, or other looped items to prevent future entanglements.
