TOFINO, British Columbia, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A Canadian wildlife group has been credited with saving the life of a humpback whale that had become entangled in crab trap lines, officials said.
The distressed adult whale was discovered by John Forde of the Whale Center in Tofino, British Columbia, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported Monday.
"We cut over 300 feet of rope and three crab floats off of this [whale] and two of the floats were wedged under the tail, keeping the whale above the water more than it should be, and the whole back of the animal and the tail was sun damaged and blistered," Forde said.
Judging by the wounds made by the lines, he said, the whale was likely entangled several weeks ago.
Tags on the lines indicated they came from an American fishing boat.
Forde said the Whale Center has saved 20 whales in the past two decades.
"[It's an] incredible feeling -- euphoric and hard to explain, and you just feel so good after something like this," he said.
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