Kerala Fishermen Save Five Endangered Whale Sharks From Nets, Release Them Back In Sea
Fishermen from Kerala have successfully rescued and released five whale sharks that were found entangled in fishing nets. The endangered Whale sharks were the bycatch of local fisherfolk in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram recently.
Five whale sharks saved in four days
According to Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) which has been working with the fishermen in Kerala to save the endangered fish species, the whale sharks were found in the fishing nets across Thumba, Vettucaud and Kovalam in a span of four days.
Three whale sharks were found entangled in a single shore seine net in Thumba, while another was trapped in a net in Vettucaud. Fishermen in Kovalam also found a whale shark the next day.
All five whale sharks were rescued by the fishermen, in challenging operations that took hours to complete. Following this, the fishermen successfully guided the whale sharks back into the sea.
"The fishers have reported recent sightings of around 9 whale sharks in the sea. With such frequent sightings, there is a heightened risk of entanglements along the Trivandrum coast in the coming days. Therefore, we need to exercise more caution during this period," Ajith Shankumugham, a fisherman said.
Save the Whale Shark campaign? ?
WTI has been running an awareness campaign 'Save the Whale Shark' in partnership with the Kerala Forest Department and Fisheries Department among the fishermen to make them stakeholders in the efforts to protect the species.?
'Save The Whale Shark' campaign seeks to empower the fishing community to respond positively and become more vigilant in reporting sightings and incidents involving whale sharks. This shift is profound, considering that once upon a time, fisher folks along the west coast of India engaged in hunting Whale sharks at their aggregation sites, engaging in commercial trade.?
Threats to whale sharks
Accidental entanglements in fishing nets, collisions with boats, and rampant coastal pollution have emerged as major threats to the survival of these gentle giants.
According to WTI, the recent releases mark the 20th rescue along the Kerala coast.
Whale Shark is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 and listed as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List.
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