Proceedings of the Untangled symposium: - WSPA

Annex 4Submitted abstracts accompanyingposter presentationsEntanglement as a welfare issue for grey seals(Halichoerus grypus) in North Cornwall, UK.Allen, Rebecca 1 , Sayer, Sue 2 ; Hockley, Kate 2 ;Jarvis, Dan 2 ; Mills, Cheryl 31Cornwall College Newquay, Trenance Gardens,Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2LZ, UK2Cornwall Seal Group, c/o Copperleaf Cottage, PhillackHill, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 5AD, UK3University of Exeter, Tremough, Falmouth, Cornwall,TR10 9EZ, UKAverage entanglement rates of grey seals Halichoerusgrypus at a haul out site in North Cornwall rangefrom 2-5% of sightings. Entanglement rates an orderof magnitude lower than this have been implicatedin population declines of other pinniped species. Inaddition a long-term photo identification study of greyseals Halichoerus grypus visiting this haul out site foundthat the maximum recapture interval of entangled sealscompared to paired control seals was significantly less(p = 0.045) suggesting an increased mortality rate foraffected seals.Of the 58 entangled cases in the catalogue, 64%had injuries that were deemed serious (either open,constricted or both.) Where identifiable the source ofentangled material was fisheries related materials.Whilst the focus of many studies has been the populationlevel effects on species, this study found that evenseriously impacted seals are capable of surviving for upto ten years. This raises welfare concerns for the affectedanimals that are spending months to years of time withdeep constrictions and persistent open wounds.To date British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)has carried out approximately 20 successful rescuesof entangled seals, most of which were taken to theNational Seal Sanctuary at Gweek, Cornwallfor rehabilitation.60