Heartbreaking images show a whale with a net wrapped around its mouth off Australia’s east coast – as rescuers try in vain to help the distressed mammal

• Humpback whale calf spotted off coast of Vaucluse entangled in rope and net
• Onlookers followed it to Maroubra as the whale travelled south along the coast 
• Contacted rescue group when they realised it was entangled in the netting 
• Volunteers then tried to located the whale but were unable to due to poor light  

Heartbreaking images have shown a whale with a net caught around its mouth – before rescuers’ attempts to free the animal were ended by bad light.

The whale was spotted off the coast of Vaucluse in Sydney’s east about 2.15pm on Saturday with a net and rope wrapped around its mouth.

The photos taken at Bondi Golf Course showed the struggling mammal come within 100m to 200m of the cliff face. 

A humpback whale calf (pictured) has been spotted off the east coast of NSW entangled in a net and rope

The whale (pictured) was seen off Vaucluse in Sydney’s east on Saturday afternoon, with onlookers following it down to Maroubra when they realised the net was would around its mouth and neck 

Onlookers told Daily Mail Australia they followed the animal to Maroubra once they realised it had a large net and rope wrapped around its body and mouth. 

When they realised its distressed situation they contacted Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia in a bid to track down the whale. 

ORRCA volunteers tried to find the whale but were unable to find it before it before they lost light. 

Onlookers called ORRCA to help located and save the animal (pictured) who was travelling south with two other whales

ORRCA volunteers were unable to locate the entangled whale due to poor light and are urging people to keep an eye out for the calf (pictured) as it makes it way along the coast 

The entangled whale was last spotted off Bondi at 3.30pm swimming south with two other whales. 

ORRCA is a volunteer based wildlife rehabilitation group in NSW licenced for marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation and release.     

The organisation are asking anyone with information about the whale to contact the ORRCA Rescue Hotline Team with information about its location and images.

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