Entangled whale spotted in waters off Kauai

LIHUE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) - Federal wildlife officials say they're searching for an entangled humpback whale in waters off Kauai.

A spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the whale was first spotted off Koloa Landing on Sunday, with two knotted ropes wrapped around its body and through its mouth. Two tiger sharks were spotted nearby.

Photos of the whale were taken by entanglement responders, the administration says.

NOAA employees say they mobilized on Sunday after the initial sighting, but were unable to find the animal. There were unsubstantiated reports of another sighting Wednesday morning, the administration says.

Anyone with information on the animal is asked to call the NOAA hotline at 1-888-256-9840.