Whales Tear up Durban Shark Nets to Save Calf. (4 November, 1996)

Using their brute strength, a pair of whales charged at Durban shark nets that had entangled their baby, ripped them apart and saved their terrified calf, it was reported yesterday. Two 15m-long whales, thought to be southern rights, thrashed about in the sea off the KwaZulu-Natal coast for more than two hours early on Saturday to free their youngster.

Surfer Mike Manning, a competitor in a long-board surfing competition at Cave Rock, witnessed the incident. 'It happened a few metres away. It appeared as if the young one could have been snared by its tail and was making a lot of noise, blowing in and out through its blow-hole,' he said. 'The parents were trying all sorts of things, but eventually both of them charged the net, ripping it apart and freeing the youngster,' Mr Manning added.

The surfer said one of the older whales was visibly distressed and made very loud blowing noises. 'They made a nice mess of the nets to get their baby out.' Mr Manning said rescuers watching from the beach were on the point of intervening to save the trapped whale. 'But the whales did it themselves in the end.' This is the second time Mr Manning has found whales caught in shark nets at Cave Rock, where he is a regular surfer. Sapa. Courtesy of the Pretoria News.