Grey Nurse Shark Saved From Gaff
Editor's Note-
An awesome rescue. Its great that this is getting some news rather than shark attacks or propoganda. Make sure you check out the video.
A THREE-metre grey nurse shark has had a lucky escape from a slow and painful death after marine experts removed a fishing gaff embedded in its throat yesterday.
Local scuba divers spotted the distraught female hiding near Julian Rocks in the Cape Byron Marine Park and immediately reported their sighting to authorities.
A crew of marine experts from Sea World, the NSW Fisheries Department and the Byron Bay Marine Park Authority set out yesterday morning in an ambitious bid to locate and save the endangered shark.
Sea World director of marine sciences Trevor Long led the expedition on the theme park's rescue boat which left from the Gold Coast at 5am.
"We had an ambitious thought that we could find the shark and catch it and we were prepared to stay as long as it took," he said.
"However, we were extremely fortunate to find it on the first dive."
Three divers descended to 14m armed with strong rope in a bid to lasso the injured fish. Using years of practice, Mr Long stalked her from above and dropped a lasso around her gills. "It was a tricky move but we were lucky she was pretty docile after her injury," he said.
The next step was not so easy with divers having to manoeuvre her into the unique Sea World designed 'Challenger' -- a perforated perspex triangle tube used to protect the shark and divers from each other as it is winched aboard the rescue boat.
Once on board she was lowered into a 4000-litre tank and flipped on her back, a move that sends sharks into a deep slumber.
"We didn't need anaesthetic because by turning her upside down she automatically goes into a dormant state," he said.
But her trance did not stop her from lashing out a few times as Sea World veterinarian David Blyde began the process of removing the hooked metal implement from her gullet. Four crew members straddled her large body to restrain her as the operation progressed.
