Rescuers Save Seal Trapped In A Full Yellow Rain Jacket

When you work in animal rescue, you never quite know what you’re going to see. Each day is different and poses different challenges and joys.

Those working in domestic rescue for stray pets often face abandoned animals and cases of neglect. But for those who work in wildlife rescue, animals are often neglected in a different sort of way – through pollution, global warming, or even habitat loss.

Ocean Conservation Namibia recently encountered a rather unusual situation where they found a seal wearing a rain jacket. While that may sound all fine and cute, it was actually a pressing matter.

If the seal remained trapped in the coat, it’d be more likely to fall victim to predators or die from strangulation, starvation, or more.

Ocean Conservation Namibia shared a video of the rescue on YouTube. In the description, they explained:

“A bright yellow rain jacket floating in the water must be irresistible for a seal! Of course he had to play with it, seals are naturally curious and very inquisitive. Of course he did not know how dangerous this toy could be. We assume the seal got his head stuck in the sleeve while tossing the jacket around. Seals cannot swim backwards. Once stuck, forever stuck.”

In the video, you can see a massive colony of seals and among them is the single seal that’s dressed in a rain jacket. Rescuers single the seal out and manage to catch it while the rest of the colony runs for the ocean.

Together, two rescuers hold the seal down and began working to remove the yellow raincoat, but it won’t budge off the seal’s head. Rather than slip it off with ease, the rescuers must resort to use scissors to cut it off. Thankfully, the rescue is a success and the little seal was free to run back to the water.

In the video description, Ocean Conservation Namibia added:

“In unspoiled waters, there is almost no scenario where playing around with floating debris could end up costing an animal’s life. Entanglements are not natural. Marine animal species from all over the world are severely threatened and some even critically endangered because their natural habitat has been taken over by plastic pollution and ocean rubbish. Humans are messing with nature and the whole ecosystem.”

You can watch the rescue for yourself in the video below: