A group of fishermen at Muthalapozhi harbour rescued and released a whale shark that was entangled in a purse seine net a few days ago.
The animal, nearly 20-foot long, was caught in the ring net while the group had gone to fish. The whale shark could be freed after three hours of painstaking work by the crew members consisting of 40 fishermen aboard the fishing boat ‘Emmanual 2’.
In a statement, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) attributed the operation to its ‘Save the Whale Shark’ campaign that focusses on spreading awareness among the fishing community. A sensitisation event had been conducted for the fishermen of Muthalapozhi a week before the incident.
The species has been listed as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Eighth to be rescued
Sajan John, a marine specialist at WTI, said the whale shark was the eighth one to be rescued and released along the Kerala coast since the launch of the campaign. The fishermen of Muthalapozhi demonstrated their commitment to marine life conservation and showcased the positive impact of education and community-involvement in safeguarding oceans.
