An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Sean Neilson/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)
An entangled humpback whale seen from above on Oct. 10 near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. (Sean Neilson/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration MMHSRP Permit No. 24359)

It took a village to save a juvenile whale in October of 2023, one that involved collaboration between people and agencies, and extended as far as a NOAA expert in Maui.

That’s the story of “SEAK-5490,” a juvenile humpback whale who was successfully freed from crab fishing lines…