Race to save seal being slowly choked to death by plastic ring
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A seal off the coast of Devon is likely to slowly choke to death due to a ring of plastic stuck around its neck. The poor seal is thought to have been attracted by the bright red rubbish as something fun to play with, but been unable to escape. Sarah Greenslade, of the Seal Project is desperate to save the juvenile male grey seal, but he cannot be trapped or tranquilised while still in the water.
![[BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833) Pic: SarahGreenslade/TheSealProject/BNPS There is a race against time to try and save a seal from being choked to death by a plastic rim that is stuck tightly around its neck. The juvenile grey seal has been seen in Brixham Harbour, Devon, with the bright red collar. The piece of plastic pollution is believed to be the discarded seal from a tin of marine paint.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234453643-2cb5.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Before the charity can help, they must wait for him to come onto land on his own. Sarah said: ‘There is still a chance it will force it off because he is fit and healthy but the longer it stays on and the more the seal grows the tighter it will get. ‘It could take a long time but it could be fatal.
![[Aerial view of Brixham Harbor on the south coast of Devon in the southwest of England.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234465833-43c1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
‘We can’t approach it in the water because it is so fast moving and it is unlikely that it will come onto land. We are monitoring it but there’s not a lot we can do.’. She spotted the seal with the collar on Boxing Day morning, having seen him looking ‘fine’ on Christmas Day, so he must have been caught in it recently.
The piece of plastic pollution is believed to be the discarded seal from a tin of marine paint. A spokesperson from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue said: ‘Looking at the pictiures it is fit and swimming around but as the plastic gets tighter and tighter it is going to be the end of it.
‘The seal will grow and grow and the plastic around its neck won’t expand and will cut into its blubber. ‘It isn’t going to get out of it by itself; The only chance the seal has is if it comes out of the water. You can’t trap or sedate a seal in the water.’.
