Marine sanctuary officials planned to return to Hawaii waters with modified equipment Friday to try to cut loose a young humpback whale entangled in several hundred meters (yards) of heavy plastic rope. The rope runs through the animal's mouth, around its head and behind its blowhole, and is twisted in a knot. It could kill the yearling humpback if it stays in too long, said Ed Lyman, marine mammal response manager with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Right now, however, the animal appears healthy. A whale-watching cruise spotted the entangled animal Tuesday in waters off Maui. Lyman's crew used a knife attached to a pole stretching out about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters) to try to cut the rope Wednesday, but couldn't reach it. The crew planned to return Friday with a pole specially fashioned by Lyman that's more than 24 feet (7 meters) long. Complicating the task is the fact that two adult whales are traveling with the juvenile. The adult whales have been sandwiching the young whale by almost constantly swimming on either side. Judging by the wounds, it appears the rope got stuck in its mouth a month or two ago.
