In Australia, a humpback whale became tangled up in a type of fishing gear called a “drum line,” and has since disappeared. Experts are attempting to track the animal, but they haven’t been seen since Sunday, June 15.
We don’t know yet if this majestic creature is safe from the dangers that human fishing lines caused. What we do know is that this cannot be allowed to happen again.
Sign the petition to protect humpback whales and biodiversity in Australia’s waters!
Experts aren’t sure how long the whale has been tangled up in the drum line and swimming around with the gear twisted around its body. Getting caught in fishing gear or shark nets can be deadly to any marine life, and the same is true for whales.
Humpback whales have already contended with a difficult past. Humans had previously hunted the large animals almost to the point of complete extinction. Now, luckily, their populations have fought their way back, and approximately 30,000 – 50,000 remain alive in the wild.
But those numbers could easily start declining again, especially as whales face a future filled with a variety of hazards: climate change, coral reef die-offs, plastic pollution, habitat destruction, and more. We cannot be adding even more dangers and risks to their lives!
Drum lines are a danger to whales and even to endangered species. We are already overfishing the oceans! They’re also sometimes used as a very ineffective form of ‘shark control,’ but they are more effective at indiscriminately trapping and killing any other animals that come into their paths. We don’t need to leave this kind of equipment out to harm ocean wildlife.
Sign the petition to demand an end to drum lines around the biodiverse coasts of Australia!
This article by Nicholas Vincent was first published by One Green Planet on 2 July 2025. Lead Image Credit :Dejan Lazarevic/Shutterstock.
Wildlife in catastrophic decline
The 73% decline in vertebrate wildlife populations during the last 50 years (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish), is primarily driven by human activities that threaten biodiversity.
Habitat Loss and Degradation – human activities like deforestation, urbanization, and agriculture have led to the destruction and fragmentation of natural habitats, reducing the space and resources available for wildlife.
Pollution – air, water, and soil pollution from industrial activities, agriculture, and other sources can harm wildlife directly or indirectly by affecting their habitats and food sources.
Climate Change – changing weather patterns, rising temperatures, and sea levels are disrupting ecosystems and impacting species’ ability to adapt and survive.
Overexploitation of Resources – unsustainable hunting, fishing, and logging practices can lead to the depletion of populations and the loss of biodiversity.
Invasive Species – the introduction of non-native species can disrupt ecosystems, compete with native species, and threaten their survival.
Help to protect wildlife by donating as little as $5. Our conservation partners spend at least 80 percent of the money raised on actual fieldwork rather than administration and fundraising.
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.8&appId=117160911789807”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
