Fears are growing about a gray whale trapped in a fishing net off the coast near San Francisco.
The nine-meter (30-foot) long creature was captured on video swimming with its tail caught in a huge gill net.
It was first spotted in Laguna Beach in the south California in March, when rescuers attached two red buoys to the net for easier viewing.
However, marine rescue teams, who have been working this week to try to free the whale, told local media that a tracker attached to the animal had broken and it was now missing.
They also had to suspend the search due to an approaching storm.
Earlier this week, rescuers attempted to cut the net from the whale’s tail. But whenever they got close, the whale became aggressive and they were unable to continue.
Justin Viezbicke of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the animal “became very reactive.”
Regarding the loss of the tracker, he told The San Francisco Standard: “We haven’t figured out why yet, but something happened there where the satellite buoy broke off.”
The team was reportedly able to find a new tracker on Wednesday, but by then the whale had already disappeared.
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Officials from NOAA and the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, are now searching for the whale north of San Francisco, as it is thought to continue its migration.
Every spring, gray whales migrate 5,000 miles from their home waters off California and Mexico to feeding grounds in the Arctic.
Kathi George of the Marine Mammal Center said the rescue team will try again to cut the net, or at least try to attach another satellite tag, if the creature is spotted again soon.
She said: “Our goal is to recover the equipment that is on the whale, so that we can learn more about the entanglement and how it happened, so that we can use that to inform risk reduction efforts.”
However, authorities said time was running out to save the whale.
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Mrs George, speaking to Fox KTVU, said: “He’s not able to forage… so I’m pretty confident he’s not eating.”
In a post on X, the Marine Mammal Center said on Thursday: “Due to worsening weather conditions, there will be no response tomorrow [Friday]but we continue to work with partners…to strategize, plan and continue onshore monitoring efforts ahead of this weekend’s predicted storm system.”
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