Home / Environment / Heroic Rescue: Marine Medics Save Entangled Seal's Life
Heroic Rescue: Marine Medics Save Entangled Seal's Life
15 Oct
Summary
- Seal rescued from fishing net entanglement on Cornwall beach
- Net weighed 35oz, nearly drowned the seal before rescue
- Seal found to have minimal injuries after being freed
On October 13th, 2025, marine medics from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) saved the life of a young grey seal that had become entangled in a discarded fishing net on a beach in west Cornwall. The seal was caught in a mass of net that had become snagged on a mussel bed, anchoring it down and putting the mammal's life at risk.
According to BDMLR director Dan Jarvis, had the tide been coming in, the water would have drowned the seal. Fortunately, the BDMLR volunteers were able to free the seal before the tide turned. After the rescue, the team weighed the net the seal had been tangled in and found it to weigh 35oz (1kg). Jarvis described the seal as "an incredibly lucky" one, and expressed hope that it would go on to live "a happy and healthy life" after the ordeal.
The net has been sent to the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority to investigate its origins. Jarvis urged the public to keep their distance from seals on beaches and to call BDMLR if they believe a seal is in trouble.
