Kingfisher: A story of incredible survival

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Dear Raul, Kingfisher was just over a year old when he was spotted with heavy fishing rope wrapped around his body and both flippers. The outlook for this highly endangered male right whale was grim. You see, fishing gear can be deadly to whales. Some drown and die quickly. Others may live for weeks or months as the deadly gear slowly tightens, only to suffer from eventual infection, illness and often death. Please give a donation today to help save entangled whales like Kingfisher. The first time he was spotted as entangled, Kingfisher was freed. But just several years later, he became caught in fishing line again. Kingfisher must have suddenly felt a tension in his mouth, a burning line that cut into the back of his jaw. He most likely panicked, thrashing and turning over and over - causing the line to become wrapped more and more around his pectoral fins. This tragic right whale, one of only some 400 left in the world, spent years dragging the entangled rope, unable to feed properly or swim free. Several attempts to free him failed and the line slowly cut off his circulation until his fin died. Hard and dangerous work Once a whale is entangled in fishing gear, it is hard and dangerous work to cut it free. Entangled whales are often frightened and injured, and will try to swim away or dive to escape their would-be rescuers. That's why we also work with volunteers and professionals to create new, safer and more effective methods of freeing right whales such as the use of robots to cut fishing gear. A crew was able to cut several lines from Kingfisher, but the whale was strong enough to make their work difficult. They had to give up before cutting all the lines wrapped around his body and flippers. Months passed without a sighting of Kingfisher, and the worst was feared. But then...against all odds this whale was sighted alive off the Florida coast. He still had rope wrapped around his right flipper, but had somehow lost the rope that had encircled his body. Your donation today can protect whales from entanglement, ship strikes, and more. For years, IFAW has supported rescue efforts like these, and has helped reduce other entanglements by replacing floating lobster line with sinking line, working for laws to slow down boats and altering shipping routes through critical habitat areas. Your gift also helps establish protected habitats for right whales and helps us implement cutting-edge ways to protect right whales from ship strikes, such as the use of acoustic buoys to steer ships away from the endangered whales. Will you please help us continue this critical work to save our whales? Thank you for your compassion, Fred O'Regan IFAW President & CEO P.S. Kingfisher was spotted multiple times a few months ago and still appeared to be in good health. The loss of even one right whale can be costly to a species that is so close to extinction. Please send whatever gift you can afford today.