On Friday 14 March we were alerted to a young grey seal with a serious entanglement at Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. BDMLR Medics were quick to arrive on scene but the tide had come in and the seal was now on rocks and out of reach. The seal swam off and was soon out of sight, so Medics spread out to search the coastline for signs of the seal as it was sure to look for another safe spot to rest.
Within an hour a member of the public found the seal and called for help immediately, giving our rescue line operator the exact location using What3Words, enabling our three Medics to find the pup without delay. The pup was high up on the beach which presented perfect positioning for Medics to safely contain the seal and assess the damage.
The pup was very lucky that the mix of nylon rope and monofilament line was not yet cutting through the skin, which meant after all traces of the entanglement were removed, the pup was given the all clear to return directly to the sea.
Just 10 days later, at Dunwich Beach, Suffolk, another young seal was found in a similarly dire situation. However, this time the entanglement was cutting into the skin causing significant injury. To save the seal from further stress and due to the severity of the wounds, the seal was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic where they safely removed the rope and administered first aid.
The pup was held overnight at BDMLR’s seal rescue unit until transport could be arranged to RSPCA East Winch the following day for further rehabilitation.
We extend a huge thanks to the members of the public who reported these stricken animals – we are seeing an increasing number of entangled seals around the UK, young and old, and timing can be critical in our response. Please report any entangled marine life you encounter to our 24/7 rescue hotline: 01825 765546.
