Michael Fishbach, co-founder of The Great Whale Conservancy (GWC), narrates his encounter with a young humpback whale entangled in local fishing nets.

At first, the animal appeared to be dead, yet Fishbach investigated and quickly discovered that the poor creature was tangled in a fishing net.

The humans had to act fast; what began as a tragedy soon became a thrilling rescue as Fishbach and his crew labored to free the young whale.

The entire encounter was caught on videotape and later narrated by Fishbach himself.

Watch as the whale named Valentina by her rescuers goes from near death to freedom, then rewards her saviours with dozens of magnificent full-body breeches and tail flips.

Indeed, this video has the power to inspire action on behalf of other beings. In ways big and small, each of us can be the one who helps another.

Opportunities to be a hero for animals are all around. Where will your compassion take you next?

The compelling video chronicles the extraordinary rescue of a young humpback whale in the Sea of Cortez on Valentine’s Day 2011 by Michael Fishback of the Great Whale Conservancy and his companions. Initially appearing deceased, the whale was discovered to be severely entangled in a gillnet, a type of fishing gear commonly employed by local fishermen. The entanglement was extensive, with the whale’s tail weighted down 15 feet below the surface, both pectoral fins pinned, and the net running the length of its back.

Facing a dire situation and understanding that external help, promised an hour away, would likely arrive too late, Fishback and his crew bravely initiated the rescue themselves. Despite the inherent dangers of approaching a frightened and fatigued 40-ton animal, they meticulously worked to free the whale. The process was arduous, requiring careful maneuvering of their small boat and the use of minimal tools—a small knife and a paddle—to painstakingly cut through the durable nylon netting. This individual initiative highlights the urgent need for direct action when systemic solutions are slow to materialize.

After approximately an hour of relentless effort, the team achieved success, liberating the powerful tail fluke. The whale’s subsequent actions were remarkable: it swam a short distance before embarking on an hour-long, energetic display of breaches, tail lobs, and fin slaps, following the rescue boat for an astonishing four miles. While attributing human emotions to animals is speculative, the rescuers, and indeed many observers, interpreted this profound display as an unequivocal expression of pure joy and potential gratitude following its near-fatal entrapment.

Beyond the immediate triumph, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent and critical threat that fishing gear entanglement poses to marine life worldwide. Gillnets, whether actively deployed or lost as “ghost fishing” gear, indiscriminately ensnare and kill countless whales, dolphins, and other ocean inhabitants annually. Humpback whales, despite conservation efforts, remain vulnerable to human-induced threats. This dramatic rescue, while a testament to human compassion, underscores the broader environmental challenges stemming from unsustainable fishing practices and the ongoing impact of human activity on the delicate balance of our oceans.