A seal with a piece of plastic stuck around its neck had been drawing the attention of wildlife rescuers in Wales for years, but it died from related injuries before they could save its life, North Wales Live reported.

What happened?

While "a detailed rescue plan" had been in place, it unfortunately never came to fruition. Part of the issue, rescuers explained, was that the seal was most often seen in a hard-to-reach cove surrounded by cliffs.

"The terrain was the first primary hurdle," said Gem Simmons, director of the North Wales Seal Research Organisation (NWSRO), "with the addition of this being a 200kg-plus adult seal that would not easily be restrained." 

Furthermore, Simmons explained, it would not have been a quick operation. "This was considered a very large rescue requiring a multidisciplinary approach from veterinary professionals, advanced [diver] medics, logistics experts and coastguard authorities," she said.

"This has been an incredibly traumatic experience for all volunteers who, over the past few years, have felt helpless watching this animal suffer from the cliffs," Simmons added. "We're sorry we can't deliver better news on this case."

Why is ocean trash so harmful?

When trash ends up in the ocean and on beaches, it's not just an eyesore — it's deadly. The team at the NWSRO suspects that the thick collar was the end cap of a large PVC pipe that had been tossed in the ocean. An examination of the seal's body revealed that it had suffered deep wounds to the neck as a result. 

This is not the first case of seal collars Wales has seen. In the last several years, several seals have been rescued with heavy plastic pieces stuck around their necks, many of which suffered for years before being saved. 

Marine debris affects every creature that lives or feeds in the ocean. Discarded items often trap smaller animals, while larger animals often ingest the plastic by accident and then starve.

What's being done to reduce ocean trash?

Cleaning the ocean requires removing the existing trash and, perhaps more importantly, ceasing the flow of trash that enters every day.

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Such changes must happen on all fronts, from increasing government regulation to innovating in packaging materials to shifting the broad patterns of consumption. As the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trust phrased it, "A big challenge will be to untangle our economy and daily lives from a throwaway culture."

So while it may require extra effort to properly recycle items or to simply choose not to buy items that use single-use plastic, a seal — or turtle, fish, or dolphin — will thank you.

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