Norfolk seal rescued with 4kg debris around neck faces months of rehabilitation
A young gray seal named Donut is undergoing rehabilitation at the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Center after being rescued with four kilograms of fishing debris around her neck. The injury was severe, but specialists are working to help her recover so she can eventually return to the wild.
Why it matters
It underscores the severe impact of plastic pollution and discarded fishing gear on marine life ecosystems.
A young gray seal caught in a snare of discarded fishing gear that had tightened around her neck has a long road to recovery. By the time rescuers reached her, the debris had cut through her and left her nearly unable to move through the water, states an online report by Broadland Radio. Her caregivers named the seal Donut and she was found at Horsey on September 20 in a condition that left little room for delay. She is now being cared for by specialists at the RSPCA’s East Winch Wildlife Center and her survival remains uncertain, adds the online report.Four kilos of wreckageDonut, about a year old, had become ensnared in a tangle of netting, twine, fishing hooks and metal. The material was tight against her neck now, a heavy collar that still hurt when she moved.
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