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Seal caught in fishing gear and hooks rescued and released into wild

00:47

Moment fur seal trapped in fishing line is freed by rescue workers

Rescue workers gave a young fur seal life-saving treatment after it became entangled in discarded fishing lines and hooks on the coastline of Flinders in Victoria, Australia.

Footage shows the animal being subdued in a net and having the fishing line carefully cut away.

Mark Keenan, from Melbourne Zoo’s Marine Response Unit said: “It was almost incapacitated with its flipper pinned to its side, wrapped up in a mix of fishing lures and jigs.”

The seal treated for severe dehydration and malnutrition at Melbourne Zoo before being released back into the wild the following day.

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