Baby humpback whale trapped in net set free

Baby humpback whale freed from nets in Queensland

A baby humpback whale had to be rescued after getting caught in a shark net off Queensland's Rainbow Beach on Wednesday.

The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol's marine animal release team released the whale about 1.30pm.

Queensland Shark control manager Jeff Krause had said the whale was not in danger before it was released.

Speaking to abc.net.au , he said: "It's pretty well wrapped up in one of the nets but it's breathing easily.

"It's on the surface so there's no imminent danger of it drowning or suffocating which is great news and the mother whale is hanging around very closely, as mothers do, to protect its baby."

Whales are currently migrating south back to feeding grounds in Antarctica from Australia's Fraser Island and Hervey Bay.

Around 20,000 whales will migrate home from Australia. This was the eighth whale to be caught in a shark net in Queensland this year.

Back in July, a baby whale had to be towed back out to sea after being stranded on a Queensland beach for two days.

Staff from Sea World spearheaded the rescue effort after the animal was found stuck on Palm Beach in Queensland.

Hundreds of people flocked to the beach to watch the dramatic rescue, which failed five times after the tow rope repeatedly snapped, reportsITV News.

According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, there was panic when the exhausted animal flipped belly up, and applause when it fought to right itself.

A special harness was then put in place, which allowed a motorboat to finally pull the two-year-old whale off the beach and back into the sea to cheers of onlookers and rescuers alike.

See pictures of the rescue below: