A seal from the United Kingdom was finally relieved from living with the plastic ring tied to the neck for over five years. The seal named Commuter suffered minor injuries due to the plastic entanglement.
6-Year Plastic Entanglement Ended for a Seal
In September 2017, volunteers from the Seal Research Trust (SRT) discovered that the Commuter had become entangled in a plastic ring while conducting regular tracking. This was the first time Commuter was seen in Cornwall, England.
Since then, Commuter has made a conscious decision to remain in unreachable places, making it hard for British Divers Marine Life Rescue to assist him because of safety concerns.
Commuters were still swimming about caught in plastic after years of surveillance. However, SRT surveyor Andy Rogers saw the animal on January 14, 2024, at a nearby haul-out site, according to a press release from BDMLR.
Rogers' signal to BDMLR prompted quick planning for a possible rescue. The Commuter was a giant adult seal that weighed over 440 pounds. Because of this, rescuers had to use a specialist team and equipment to capture and extricate him.
With the approaching low tide, the BDMLR team mobilized, with six medics working alongside Rogers on the cliff to prevent public disturbance and increase awareness.
Using a cargo net and herd boards to block escape paths and securely hold Commuter, a cautious plan was implemented as other seals on the beach became aware of the coming rescue team.
During a standoff between the giant seal and his rescuers, bolt cutters were subsequently used to remove the plastic ring successfully. After evaluating the slight infection surrounding the cut on his neck, the medics decided that Commuter was well enough to be released.
Without displaying any distress symptoms, he quickly returned to the water and headed out to sea.
"Not only was it a huge success for Commuter after more than six years entangled, but also for the BDMLR rescue team who were able to catch their first 'healthy' adult male seal using a new technique," Rogers said of Commuter.
Whales and Dolphins Are Partly Made of Plastic
Plastic is a big concern for marine mammals. One report claimed that whales and dolphins have consumed plastic in the ocean and are already partly made of plastic.
Ocean pollution has resulted in the presence of plastic in whales and dolphins. A Duke University graduate student studying environmental contamination found that tiny plastic particles were lodged in the lipids and lungs of two-thirds of the marine animals under investigation.
The researchers examined samples from 32 stranded mammals or those raised for meat that were collected in Alaska, California, and North Carolina between 2000 and 2021. One of the twelve species that were looked at in total was the bearded seal.
According to the current research, microplastics may pass through the digestive system after ingestion and become lodged in bodily tissues. Scientists are already aware of the grave danger of plastic pollution to marine life. Plastics were found in the lungs, three different types of fat tissues, and all four tissues.
Check out more news and information on Plastic in Science Times.
