Norfolk RSPCA centre saves 50th seal with injuries from rubbish

11 October 2019

A grey seal rescued on the North Sea coast has become the 50th to be treated by a wildlife centre for injuries caused by discarded man-made rubbish.

The animal, a male named Scylla, was found with an infected wound caused by a fishing net embedded around his neck.

The RSPCA centre in Norfolk said 2019 could be a record year for seal rescues "for all the wrong reasons".

"It's hard to describe how much pain and distress this can cause a seal," said manager Alison Charles.

"They are weighed down by this huge mass of netting, which must make it hard for them to swim, and then the net starts to cut and embed into their neck too.

"The injuries are horrendous, sometimes inches deep, and all the while the seal is becoming weaker and weaker and cannot feed so their suffering continues and they slowly starve to death.

"It is just horrific."

Continued

Dog, nappy and football found in Aussie croc

Rangers who shot a saltwater crocodile that was terrorising pets innorthern Australia found a dog, a pair of shorts, a football and a nappy in its stomach, according to a local report.

Police had recently notified authorities that a crocodile had eaten at least one dog and was lunging at others on a beach near the community of Galiwinku.

The Northern Territory News said rangers who went to the area on Tuesday saw the 3.5 metre (11 feet 6 inches) crocodile grab a dog by the leg, so they shot the reptile.

As well as finding the remains of a dog in its stomach, they discovered a variety of other items.

"While it might make a comical headline, it is disturbing to see the volume of rubbish in a wild animal," said the newspaper, which routinely runs crocodile stories on its front page.

Saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to seven metres long and weigh more than a tonne, are a common feature of Australia's tropical north and kill an average of two people a year.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/dog-nappy-football-found-aussie-croc-031319097.html