9 mei 2024 om 15:02 Update: 19 min. geleden
Seal centers have already received more reports of entangled seals this year than in all of 2023. A seal in distress was seen for the fortieth time on Wednesday. Seal Center Pieterburen speaks of a sad milestone and an alarming increase.
A young gray seal was found on the beach of Camperduin in North Holland on Wednesday. The animal was entangled in a fishing net. A passerby noticed the seal and contacted the local seal watcher. He managed to free the animal.
Shortly afterwards, an entangled seal was seen again, but this time on the beach of Schiermonnikoog. The animal fled back into the water before help could be provided. That was the 41st entangled seal of this year. This has surpassed last year’s total.
The seal centers are concerned about the increase in the number of entangled seals. The animals become entangled not only in fishing nets, but also in potato bags, broken Frisbees, rubber rings, construction plastic, ship ropes and fishing lines.
Seal centers A Seal, Ecomare and Pieterburen Seal Center have put together a special team to help entangled seals. If this is not done in time, a seal will suffocate or succumb to its injuries.
Wat moet je doen als je een verstrikte zeehond ziet?
- Jaag de zeehond niet terug het water in. Het dier moet kunnen uitrusten.
- Hou minimaal 30 meter afstand.
- Hou honden aangelijnd. Zowel honden als zeehonden kunnen onverwachts reageren en ziektes overdragen.
- Bel een zeehondencentrum of waarschuw de lokale zeehondenwachter (te herkennen aan een geel hesje)
The cause of the increase cannot be immediately identified
The seal centers do not immediately have an explanation for the strong increase, says Pieterburen spokesperson Marco Boshoven.
“The strong wind at the beginning of this year causes turbulent water, which may cause more debris to be released from the seabed.”
According to Boshoven, it is not the case that there are suddenly many more seals. “The number of gray seals is increasing slightly every year, but not to the extent that it explains the increase in entangled animals.” There are also not many people along the water anymore who find the seals.
Concerns at seal centers are increasing as the number of cases of entangled seals has been growing for years.
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