New Zealand police rescue humpback whale off Wellington coast

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- New Zealand's Wellington Police District faced quite an interesting task over the weekend - rescuing a humpback whale.

New Zealand Police uploaded a video of the rescue on Facebook, congratulating one of their police districts on their effort to help the creature.

Our Wellington District Police maritime team had an interesting call-out when they rescued this humpback whale that was tangled in cray pots off the coast of Wellington. The young whale was luckily set free before it was too late.

The video opens with a shot of the word "Police" printed on the bow of a boat. It then pans left to reveal a crew of four aboard a small dinghy. One of the individuals is using a sort of pole apparatus to carry out the task.

Facebook users congratulated the team on their efforts. Nikki Lockwood of Auckland, New Zealand said "The average NZ police officer sure has a varied job description! Solid effort" while Karl Pearson of Palmerston North, New Zealand said "Patrolling the waters like a boss! Where do whales keep their license and registration?"