Seal recovers after life-threatening fishing line injuries
“Ariel was the worst entanglement case we’ve ever had to deal with” – Caitlin Ganley.
A grey seal that sustained life-threatening injuries from fishing gear has been released back into the wild after being looked after by the Scottish SPCA.
The seal, who has been given the name Ariel, was found on a beach in Johnshaven, Aberdeenshire, tangled in fishing line. She had a deep wound to her neck that had become severely infected and was bleeding heavily.
Ariel was taken to the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross, Clackmannanshire. Her age was estimated to be at least one year old and staff at the centre believe that the fishing line may have been wrapped about her for up to three weeks.
Caitlin Ganley, a wildlife assistant at the Scottish SPCA, said: “Ariel was the worst entanglement case we’ve ever had to deal with. It was heart-breaking to see the extent of her injuries all of which could have been avoided.
“Seals are particularly vulnerable to becoming entangled in fishing lines, nets and other debris. Once trapped they often suffer slow painful deaths as the gear tightens around their necks and bodies
“Although the vast majority of anglers are responsible and take care to clear away their equipment after they've used it, there is a minority of people who fish and don't respect the environment and the wildlife that inhabits it.”
While at the centre, Ariel was looked after by the seal rehabilitation team who gave her antibiotics and regularly cleaned and dressed her wounds. She also had to be assisted in eating as she wouldn’t eat on her own.
After three months, she had reached a healthy weight of 56kg and was able to be released back into the wild.
Ms Ganley added: “ It was so emotional watching Ariel swim off as a team we were thrilled to watch her return to the sea, fully healed and ready to resume her life in the wild were she belongs.
“This is why we do the work we do and always go the extra mile.
“We put so much of ourselves into her recovery and watching her swim away, knowing she has a second chance makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
Image © Scottish SPCA
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
