Seals are one of the most adorable marine species we have. Something that makes them especially beloved by humans is their curiosity. Seals often like to watch what humans are doing and will spend a while doing just that.
But seals are also a species that is vulnerable to irresponsible human activity. As people pollute the ocean waters with litter, seals become at risk of suffocation. So when one team of rescuers went out to save a seal stuck in a fishing line, this seal certainly seemed to be grateful for their help.
At first he did not want anything to do with these humans.
Despite having a fishing line wrapped around much of his body, this seal was more concerned with the humans trying to help him. He couldn’t have been comfortable, but then again he couldn’t have known that these people were trying to help.
As the rescuers approach, he tries to run away, snarling and growling menacingly to scare them off. But the rescuers are not deterred. They calmly and patiently approach the seal and try to help him.
In a swift move, the rescuers do what has to be done.
While also trying to calm the seal down by saying encouraging affirmations, the rescuers know that no matter how much the seal resists, they have to help him.
One grabs him by the scruff of his neck while the other quickly cuts the fishing line.
Instead of running away, the seal stuck around for a bit.
The rescue was over before the seal knew it. To the rescuers’ surprise, he did not immediately run away. Normally, once the rescuers let go of the seals’ bodies, these little pups run away as fast as they can.
This one, however, seemed to be quite comfortable with the rescuers after all. He stood beside the humans, even glancing back at them a few times as if he was curious about the whole thing.
The rescuers had to encourage him to leave.
This seal was so attached to them that they had trouble getting him to rejoin his pack. After a few friendly pats one of the people had to keep reminding the seal:
“It’s okay, you can leave…it’s good you can go! It’s a pleasure.”
Even after that, the seal kind of waddles away. He did not seem so quick to run away as he had before they saved him. The rescuers interpreted this as a kind of “thank you” because his response was so different from what they are used to seeing from seals.
These rescuers are part of Ocean Conservation Namibia.
Ocean Conservation Namibia is an organization that works to protect animals, particularly seals, from the dangers of marine debris and other things that threaten marine wildlife.
One of the big problems that OCN is trying to combat is illegally abandoned fishing gear, such as fishing lines and reflective patches from work clothes.
OCN goes to seal populations and cuts them free from entanglements. Seals can die from entanglements so OCN is helping to save seal lives. Additionally, OCN makes YouTube videos to raise awareness about the dangers these seals face.
They rescue a lot of seals, and most of the time the seals just run away.
At another point in the video, OCN conservationists rescue two other seal pups that are stuck in entanglements. The video explains that these entanglements tend to happen to seal pups a lot as they get a bit older because:
“The pups are all now at the age where they go out to explore deeper water on their own leading to more entanglements this time of year.”
In these two other rescues, the seals run away as soon as possible, which just makes the fact that the first seal stayed all the more special.
It seems like the pup who stayed was trying to thank them, and OCN certainly deserves it.
Ocean Conservation Namibia is doing a lot of good work to help a vulnerable wildlife population. It’s cute that that seal they rescued seems to know it too!
To see the full adorable seal rescue, watch the video below!
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