Wed Jan 08 13:55:45 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Fishermen Rescue Endangered Whale Shark
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, January 8, 2025** – A 13-foot-long whale shark entangled in a fishing net off the coast of Poonthura, Kerala, was successfully rescued and released on Monday morning. The rescue operation, coordinated by fisherman Barns Benedict and involving approximately 30 others, marks the 32nd whale shark rescue along the Kerala coast, according to the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
The WTI lauded the efforts as a testament to their ongoing “Save the Whale Shark Campaign,” a collaborative initiative with the Forest and Fisheries Departments and VST Industries Ltd. Whale sharks are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 and are listed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN.
First Piper 