Rescuing fur seals like this one is rewarding on its own, but when a baby appears to not want to leave your lap… well, that’s a memory to keep. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
The people working with Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN) are tireless. Over the decade or so they’ve been in existence, they’ve saved nearly 4,000 seals from plastic trash entanglements. And recently, a rescued baby fur seal pup certainly does seem to be thankful for the help.
Chasing down seals isn’t the safest thing a person can do — the seals don’t know their rescuers have good intentions, after all — so the team needs to be on high alert for every rescue attempt. They focus mainly on an area called Pelican Point, which is a stone’s throw from the world famous Skeleton Bay.
“Entangled seals are already compromised and feel threatened, and we can’t blame them: we do hunt them down, pin them to the ground, and poke around in often painful and infected wounds,” Ocean Conservation Namibia wrote. “Some seals have a completely different reaction to the rescue, and in rare occasions like on this day, they seem calm and stay around, as if they wanted to hang out for a while.”
Sadly, it seems to be a never ending fight.”Every day, more plastic rubbish and especially fishing ghost gear enters the ocean,” OCN continued. “Without help, marine animals including cape fur seals do not stand a chance once they get caught up in our rubbish. They deserve better!”
Seals aren’t pets and we never encourage unnecessary interaction, but we still enjoy human moments like this one very much.
The seal rescue team from Ocean Conservation Namibia has rescued over 3500 seals from plastic pollution and ocean rubbish in the past 10 years. Every day, more plastic rubbish and especially fishing ghost gear enters the ocean. Without help, marine animals including Cape Fur Seals do not stand a chance once they get caught up in our rubbish. They deserve better!”
