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Search Continues in Belfast Lough for Seal Spotted With Can Stuck on Jaw

8th October 2021
Lagan Search and Rescue on the search for the distressed seal spotted with a drinks can stuck to its lower jaw
Lagan Search and Rescue on the search for the distressed seal spotted with a drinks can stuck to its lower jaw Credit: Lagan Search and Rescue/Facebook

The search continues in Belfast Lough for a young harbour seal spotted with an aluminium can stuck on its lower jaw in recent days.

According to BBC News, the seal was spotted on Wednesday (6 October) in a state of distress.

But despite attempts by Belfast Harbour Police to help, the marine mammal swam away and has not been sighted since.

Lagan Search and Rescue is assisting in the search along with experts from Portaferry’s Exploris Aquarium and others.

And it asks that any sightings be reported to Debbie Doolittle’s Wild Life and that “nobody attempts to help the seal [themselves]”.

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!