Seal known as Mrs Vicar rescued after white plastic ring stuck on neck for years
Mrs Vicar was finally captured at Horsey Beach on Easter Sunday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A seal that had a plastic white disc stuck around her neck and was nicknamed Mrs Vicar has been rescued.
The mammal was first spotted with the object lodged on her two and a half years ago off the Norfolk coast.
Mrs Vicar was finally captured at Horsey Beach on Easter Sunday and has a 7cm deep wound that has become infected.
A vet cut the disc off the adult grey seal at the RSPCA’s East Winch Wildlife Centre near King’s Lynn where Mrs Vicar is recovering.
Alison Charles, manager at RSPCA East Winch, said: “Sadly, we know the seal had the ring around her neck for over two years! I’m so grateful she’s now been rescued and we can care for her.
Read more:
“She is very quiet this morning and her wound is very sore with a bad smell but we are hopeful she will recover.
“We can start giving her the salty baths she needs to help her neck wound recover soon.
“We add two 25kg bags of salt to each bath and she has one bath a day until her neck has begun to granulate.
“This is the healing process when you cannot debride (remove damaged tissue) and stitch a wound. It’s so infuriating knowing that this injury could have been prevented.
“All we can do now is hope that Mrs Vicar is strong enough to pull through. Even if she makes it through the next few days, we are not out of the woods, and we will be treating her for a number of months.”
Mrs Vicar has been injected with antibiotics and pain relief and allowed to rest. Discs can become caught around the marine mammals’ necks, then cut into them as they grow bigger.
Peter Ansell, chairman of the Friends of Horsey Seals volunteer group, said members were finally able to capture Mrs Vicar on Sunday.
“Mrs Vicar was so called by us due to the prominent white plastic collar around her neck, which has turned out to be some type of flange possibly used in large scale pipework,” he said.
Mr Ansell added that after Mrs Vicar has recovered she will be returned to the sea.
The East Winch Wildlife Centre has launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for fish to feed the sick, orphaned and injured seals in their care.
The centre cares for more than 150 seals each year and the cost of mackerel to feed them is rising, costing the charity £3,999 for three pallets of mackerel.
Additional reporting by PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments