GEORGETOWN, S.C., March 24 (UPI) -- Rough seas off the South Carolina coast prevented U.S. whale experts from freeing a right whale caught in ropes and buoys, officials said Wednesday.
Veterinarians and disentanglement experts from the National Marine Fisheries Service found the juvenile male right whale on March 19. They removed some of the rope and attached a satellite tracking device, which they have used to track its rapid movement to the north.
Although high seas stopped the team from removing any more rope, experts were able to take a biopsy of tissue, which can be used to evaluate the whale's health and stress levels.
The team will continue to monitor the whale's location and resume rescue attempts as soon as possible, officials said.
With an estimated population of 300, the North Atlantic right whale is the most endangered off American coasts. It neared extinction because of hunting during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
