After several failed rescue attempts by wildlife officers, whale finds its own way out of the lagoon and back into the ocean

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

A whale has mysteriously freed itself after being stranded in a lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Bryde’s whale, rare for the area, was first spotted by a tourist on a scenic flight over Elford Reef, near Cairns, in June.

After several failed rescue attempts by wildlife officers, the mammal found its way out of the lagoon and back into the ocean. Authorities believe it swam away some time in the past few weeks.

“There was actually no physical impediment at any stage of the tide to stop it getting out so it was choosing to be there,” Mark Read, from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, said.

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“We don’t see many of them. We get a report or two per year.”

Read believes the whale may have been unwell and photos indicated it was a “bit skinny”.

It was last seen in the lagoon on 18 July.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority sent a boat to check on the whale on 4 August but it had disappeared.