Karen and John were out boating on a river in Australia when they spotted a mysterious creature trapped in a discarded throw net. Initially, they thought the poor animal was dead, but when Karen picked up the netting, it moved! She quickly realized it was a rare sawfish.
Sawfish, also known as carpenter sharks, are a family of rays with long, narrow snouts lined with sharp teeth resembling a saw. These unique creatures are an endangered species. The sawfish’s rostrum was completely wrapped in nylon threading, making it unable to free itself. Determined to help, John and Karen worked together to cut the shark loose.
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John had to be extremely cautious because if the sawfish thrashed, it could seriously injure both itself and him. Using a small, sharp blade, he carefully began cutting through the netting. As they freed the last strands, they knew they had to step back quickly. Thankfully, John only suffered a small cut, and their efforts were rewarded as they watched the sawfish swim safely back into the river.
The couple exchanged high-fives, thrilled to see their rescue mission succeed. It may have been just one sawfish, but every rescue counts.
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