Ghost nets and ocean litter kill aquatic animals every day. This trash brings a threat to the innocent animals who call the ocean home. Luckily, there are environmentalists and rescue groups who are more willing to combat the threat.
The dangers of the so-called ghost nets in the ocean
Small or big-time fishermen use nets to haul fish out, and sometimes they break and get lost in the ocean. These worn-out nets would then endlessly drift in the sea and entangle some of our friendly sea creatures, like turtles, dolphins, and even seals. As sad as it may be, this is one of the reasons why the number of unwanted marine animal deaths continues to increase every day.
A dedicated community offered themselves to help the poor seals on the coast of Namibia.
A population of 1.5 million Cape fur seals currently reside in Namibia. These seals are the common victims from the threat of floating nets, fishing gears, and marine debris that could potentially cut their lives below their average lifespan. However, a non-profit organization called the Ocean Conservation Namibia made it their job to guard the coast and put an end to the entanglement of the marine animals present in the area.
A group of people went to the shore to save some seal pups.
Members of the OCN were doing their rounds on the shores of Pelican Point, Walvis Bay to spot and free some baby seals who were caught and tangled in stray wires and nets. Almost every day, they chase around hundreds of baby seals while determining who among them has been caught in a deadly snare. It is a tough job but they were used to it after doing it for more than five years.
The team met a seal pup who thanked them after they saved him.
Hordes of baby seal pups scuttled away from the team as they tried to chase the victims of the ghost nets. They eventually managed to catch one whose neck was entangled with a commercial fishing line.
They gently held the frightened seal pup as its friends were already far away from him. However, when the humans freed the seal pup from his miserable state, the seal pup, realizing he was out of harm, looked at them with gratitude as he slowly waddled away to his friends.
That particular seal pup was unlike the others they have saved who struggled and even bit them in the process. It was a wholesome moment for them but they knew they could not just stay there and cherish it as there are many more seals to save. They continued to do their jobs by finding more seals to free.
These kind humans are the seals’ heroes.
OCN currently consists of three dedicated activists and Namibian conservationists named Antoine Amory, Katja Dreyer, and Naude Dreyer, who led the group. It may not be the first time for them to witness such sweet occurrence, but it still does melt your heart seeing a seal pup you just saved looking back at you thankfully. Hopefully, OCN will continue doing this heroic job for the sake of these adorable sea mammals.
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