Divers help free entangled whale shark

A juvenile whale shark is now free from a “life-threatening” entanglement thanks to a pair of free divers off Lanai on Sunday, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said.

The divers, Joby Rohrer, an Army biologist, and Jon Sprague, wildlife control manager for Pulama Lanai, spotted the large fish Sunday as it swam back and forth off Kaunolu.

The divers cut away the 150 to 200 pound rope with a knife in a process that took more than an hour and five dives. Video of the encounter released by DLNR shows the shark swimming slowly while a diver works at slicing away the barnacle-encrusted line that appears to be several inches thick.

The shark, which had been entangled since at least July 8, remained calm while the rope was cut away in 30 to 40 feet of water. After the animal was freed, it swam away into deeper water.

The whale shark is an endangered species, and continues to face threats such as entanglement, DLNR said.

On July 14, DLNR asked for the public’s help in locating the entangled animal after it was seen with heavy gauge line wrapped around its mid-section near Maui.

DLNR said the line was cutting into the emaciated animal’s flesh and experts believed it to be life-threatening.

DLNR urged the public to avoid trying to disentangle whales or other marine mammals on their own and instead call trained responders with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

Maui

Maui crews stop brush fire from spreading toward homes

Maui firefighters halted the advance of a wildfire that had blackened 15 acres of thick brush in the upper Kanaio area on Wednesday.

Engine companies from Kula and Paia, a tanker company from Kahului, a hazmat company from Kahului and two helicopter units were dispatched to battle the blaze.

An initial Maui Fire Department report issued shortly after 12:30 p.m. Wednesday indicated that there were homes downwind of the fire that were not considered threatened.

A follow-up report just before 4 p.m. stated that crews were able to stop the fire’s progress and were working on dousing hot spots and securing the perimeter.

No injuries had been reported.