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Belfast Lough Seal Spotted With Can Stuck on Jaw Rescued in Scotland

19th October 2021
The young harbour seal with a drinks can stuck to its lower jaw wast first spotted in Belfast earlier this month
The young harbour seal with a drinks can stuck to its lower jaw wast first spotted in Belfast earlier this month Credit: Lagan Search & Rescue/Facebook

A young harbour seal spotted in Belfast Lough earlier this month with an aluminium can stuck on its lower jaw has been rescued by police in Scotland.

The Irish News reports that the juvenile marine mammal had swum across the North Channel from Belfast Lough to the west coast of Scotland last weekend.

Officers from the Ministry of Defence Police at Clyde naval base were able to approach the seal and remove the drinks can, which was stuck to the animal’s mouth after its teeth had pierced the metal.

An MoD spokesperson said: “We would urge people to take extra care in how they dispose of their rubbish near any waterway.”

Lagan Search & Rescue, which led the search effort for the seal in Northern Ireland, commented on social media: “We are delighted to hear that its ordeal has had such a positive outcome.”

MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy

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MacDara Conroy is a contributor covering all things on the water, from boating and wildlife to science and business

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Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!