An opossum found hanging above the water near South Fork Trail in Lincolnton, North Carolina, sparked an impromptu rescue mission after a passerby noticed it was caught on a fishing hook.
Here's what to know
A visitor on the trail alerted the Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center at 11:33 a.m. after spotting the opossum and sending in a photo, WWAY reported. Because the animal was hanging over the water by a fishing hook and line, the person who saw it could not safely reach it.
When the team arrived around 12:30 p.m., the opossum was positioned beyond the reach of their rescue pole. The center's lead wildlife rehabilitator and hospital manager ultimately climbed the tree and safely removed the animal.
Staff examined the opossum at the wildlife hospital and used X-rays to identify a hook still connected to the line beneath its tongue. The animal was also emaciated and dehydrated, suggesting it may have been trapped for more than 24 hours.
More background
Discarded hooks, fishing line, and similar tackle can ensnare wild animals, leaving them in painful, vulnerable positions. In this case, fishing gear turned a tree along a public trail into a dangerous snare.
The Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center urged anglers and trail users to take damaged gear, hooks, and fishing line with them rather than leaving it behind for wildlife to get caught in.
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WWAY reported that anyone who needs wildlife assistance can contact the Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center at 980-389-1133. The center said its hotline is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and callers should leave a voicemail or text details about the animal's condition.
Where can I learn more?
Other wildlife rescues often start the same way: an animal in immediate danger due to discarded gear or another human-made hazard. These incidents involve officers, volunteers, and wildlife workers freeing trapped or injured animals near marinas, bridges, neighborhoods, and parks.
• In Gulf Breeze, Florida, police freed an osprey trapped in sailboat rigging at a marina.
• In Georgia, officers rescued a deer found with a tube stuck around its neck.
• The RSPCA warned that garden netting can maim grass snakes and other animals.
• Under a Florida bridge, wildlife officers freed a massive endangered sawfish from danger.
• In Nottingham, England, volunteers raced to protect ducks after an oil spill threatened local wildlife.
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