A young seal is critically ill after being rescued at Horsey with four kilograms of fishing debris around her neck.
A young seal rescued from the Norfolk coast is fighting for survival after becoming severely entangled in fishing debris.
The female grey seal, named Doughnut by her carers, was rescued at Horsey on Sunday 20 September after concerns grew about her condition.
She had become trapped in a tangled mass of netting, twine, fishing hooks and metal which had wrapped tightly around her neck.
When rescuers finally removed the debris, it weighed around four kilograms.
The material had cut deeply into Doughnut’s neck, leaving a wound reported to be around three inches deep and making it increasingly difficult for her to swim and hunt.
Volunteers from Friends of Horsey Seals, with help from members of the public, were able to get her onto a stretcher and remove her from the beach.
She was transferred to the RSPCA’s East Winch Wildlife Centre for emergency specialist treatment.
The RSPCA says her condition remains “touch and go”.
Doughnut is believed to be around a year old and, if she survives the immediate danger, could require several months of treatment and rehabilitation before she is strong enough to return to the wild.
The charity says the case demonstrates the potentially devastating impact discarded fishing equipment and other marine debris can have on wildlife.
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