Rescue team heartbroken after whale dies in shocking tragedy: 'It only took one more noticeable breath'

A sperm whale recently became entangled in ropes off the coast of the Isle of Skye in Scotland and ended up dying. This is only one of several whales in the area that have become entangled this year.

What happened?

The sperm whale was spotted off the coast of Skye, tangled up in ropes, and the British Divers Marine Life Rescue team sprang into action. While the British Divers Marine Life Rescue removed five of the ropes, rough waves and high winds hampered their efforts.

As a result, the whale was still tangled up with at least one rope wrapped around its mouth. It washed up on the shore of Raasay a few days after the BDMLR tried to assist it, and though they made efforts to help it once again, it was too late.

The Daily Record reported that a spokesperson for BDMLR said: "It was hoped the whale would re-float itself as the tide rushed back in around it, but sadly after being disentangled it only took one more noticeable breath."

According to the Daily Record, the Highland Council now has the responsibility of disposing of the whale's carcass, as a representative shared: "The council has a duty to dispose of carcasses resulting from whale strandings and will make preparations once the full extent and size of the whale is established."

Why is whale entanglement concerning?

While not every whale meets its demise from becoming tangled up in ropes or plastic, many like the one in Skye do, and even freed whales may end up injured or suffering from infection. Plus, entangled whales may carry those entanglements around for months and years if not freed.

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Between increased temperatures displacing whales and causing them to feed closer to shore — where they have a higher risk of being around human gear — and more plastic and rope ending up in our oceans for them to become entangled in, the chances of whale entanglement have risen exponentially.

Besides the risk of injury or death to whales, plastic (and other) pollution getting into the ocean can destroy fragile ecosystems and lead to health issues in people due to microplastics.

What's being done about whale entanglement?

Whales will continue to become entangled in rope and plastic for as long as those things end up in the ocean. However, there are official whale entanglement response networks and plans to deal with the issue that plot out the best ways to help whales in these situations.

As far as keeping plastic pollution out of the ocean, individuals can recycle as much plastic as possible and skip products that utilize single-use plastic. Doing so will help keep whales — and humans — safe.