Whale Tangled in Fishing Net Swam Up to People Knowing They Would Help (VIDEO)

Here is a whale of a tale that you won’t soon forget! According to a video post by Elding Whale Watching, an adorable minke whale knew exactly what to do when he got entangled in a fishing net earlier this summer.

The little guy swam calmly next to the harbor until help arrived to free him from the net. The police and a dive expert named Siggi, worked diligently to remove the netting and sent the minke off with a pat on the head. Before the whale left though, he paused for a moment as if to “thank you” to his rescuers.

While we adore rescue stories such as this, let’s hope that he doesn’t make a habit out of trusting humans, as minke whales are one of the most hunted whales in the world.

The hunting of minke whales is not only unnecessary but it’s illegal according to the International Whaling Commission, which placed a global moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982. While groups like Sea Shepard are working to protect whales and bring justice to offenders, it’s a tough battle to fight with governments not holding hunters accountable, not enforcing fines, and allowing whaling quotas to increase every year.

To sign the petition to hold Japan accountable for illegally killing minke whales click here.