On Sunday 12 October, a young grey seal in west Cornwall found itself in serious trouble and in need of the urgent assistance of BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics.
The seal was entangled in a section of monofilament net, a common type of discarded fishing material that poses a serious risk to marine wildlife.. A well-meaning member of the public had tried to cut it free, but as the seal bolted back into the water, the net snagged on a mussel bed – leaving the seal anchored and unable to escape. If the tide were coming in, the seal would have drowned.
Thankfully, the tide dropped enough for BDMLR Medics to reach the trapped seal safely. The team carried out a careful capture and set to work cutting away the debris wound tightly around its neck. Miraculously, there were no deep injuries , with only a clear impression where the net had been. Any longer, and the material would have begun cutting through the seal’s skin and tissue.
Once the seal had been thoroughly checked and confirmed to be in good condition, it was released back into the sea – free once again thanks to the swift response of our Medics and a vital call to our hotline.
This incident serves as a powerful reminder of how dangerous discarded, lost or abandoned fishing gear can be to marine life. BDMLR continues to urge everyone visiting the coast to report entanglements immediately and never attempt to free marine animals themselves, as well-intentioned actions can sometimes make the situation worse or put both the animal and people at risk.