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read moreMarine scientists have explained that dozens of Australian fur seals on Victoria's Phillip Island have recently been saved from serious injury or death from debris in the oceans.
With World Oceans Day being marked on Monday 8th June, Phillip Island Nature Parks revealed the disturbing findings of their seal rescue and marine debris programs.
In just over six months, the Nature Parks have removed over 113kg of debris from Phillip Island’s beaches, ensuring it stays out of the oceans, where it poses a serious risk to the local fur seal colony. The 23,000 individual pieces of debris collected include:
13,470 bits of hard and soft plastics
472 metres of fishing line
713 cigarette butts
601 pieces of food packaging and 537 lids
505 pieces of rope
Nature Parks Marine Scientist Dr Rebecca McIntosh goes out to Seal Rocks every two months with her team to remove debris from around the necks of seals, including pups.
Dr McIntosh advised "we have to do it because the seals can’t remove it themselves ... and it’s a good thing that we do because they wouldn’t survive otherwise."
Dr McIntosh and her team crawl over rocks and seaweed to creep up on the seals and trap them in a large, cone-shaped net, then quickly disentangle the seal from the debris and release them back into the ocean.
The entanglements include fishing line wound around necks, fish hooks and lures caught in seal mouths and even hats caught around necks.
Dr McIntosh added “not all the debris comes from commercial vessels or recreational fishing. A lot of it is washed into the ocean from urban environments."
Explaining the value of World Oceans Day, Dr McIntosh went on to say “World Oceans Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our beautiful ocean and think about protecting it.
"It’s vital that we protect our ocean home on World Oceans Day and every other day. That biodiversity is so precious.”
Images: A seal entangled in plastic at Victoria's Seal Rocks (top), Phillip Island Nature Parks Marine Scientist Dr Rebecca McIntosh with entanglement material (middle) and marine debris recovered by the Phillip Island Nature Parks team (below). All images courtesy of Phillip Island Nature Parks.
5th June 2020 - Tasmanian Walking Company launches philanthropic initiative on World Environment Day
27th May 2020 - Adelaide zoo otter pups pass first health check on World Otter Day
25th May 2020 - Australian Marine Conservation Society would welcome additional support for reef tourism sector
23rd May 2020 - Aussie Ark commits to turtle conservation on World Turtle Day
21st May 2020 - Phillip Island’s penguins gain international attention
4th May 2020 - New technology to protect Australian marine parks
21st April 2020 - Phillip Island trains terrier pup to protect wildlife
11th March 2020 - Australian Marine Conservation Society highlights endangered shark facing extinction
11th March 2020 - New CSIRO research shows ocean plastic returning to Australian coastlines
16th February 2020 - Wellington’s Round the Bays event eliminates plastic bottles
23rd January 2020 - Global tourism initiative to combat plastic pollution
30th December 2019 - National plastics summit set to address Australia’s growing waste problem
12th December 2019 - Phillip Island Nature Parks introduces exclusive pass for locals
13th November 2019 - PATA to present webinar on reducing plastic pollution
7th November 2019 - Australian Marine Conservation Society welcomes Queensland government proposal to ban single-use plastics
20th September 2019 - Bass Coast Shire Council supports Marine Park plan
18th September 2019 - Phillip Island marks anniversary release of Eastern Barred Bandicoots
14th August 2019 - Phillip Island Nature Parks pays tribute to the World’s Rangers
18th July 2019 - Zoos and aquariums celebrate and educate through Plastic Free July
4th March 2019 - Taronga Zoo Seal Show wins award for Public Engagement
15th December 2018 - Animal activists disrupt Sea World dolphin and seal shows
23rd October 2016 - Rescued seals released off southern New South Wales coast
25th September 2015 - Wildlife Tourism as a force for biodiversity conservation and local economies
17th August 2012 - Plan to protect biodiversity on the Great Barrier Reef
15th May 2012 - Proposal to sell off National Parks to preserve Australia’s biodiversity?
9th December 2010 - Reward offered to catch seal killers
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