Dramatic footage aired on local television on a beach in Peru of a group of fishermen untangling a net from a whale shark that had become beached on shore.
It was a race against time in the coastal area of Tumbes on Friday as the group of men desperately pulled away a heavy fishing net that had entangled the majestic fish.
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As the whale shark flayed for its life fishermen finally cut through the net and pushing the fish back into the water.
Despite their name, whale sharks are gentle giants and as a species are believed to be some 60 million years old.
In many parts of the world the fish is a protected species.