‘Leave dolphins and seals alone’: Outcry after rise in people …
A rise in reports of marine animals being disturbed has prompted a campaign targeting Yorkshire coasts.
Operation Seabird was started by Geoff Edmond, national wildlife coordinator for the RSPCA, after his team was worried by increased reports of dolphins in the area attracting public attention, as well as increasing reports of people bothering seals.
Recreational marine crafts had also been spotted getting close to the cliffs and disturbing the nesting seabirds who live there. Operation Seabird hopes to tackle these problems by providing education and guidance to prevent wildlife disturbances from occurring in the first place and prosecute them with the support of the local police forces and the MMO where necessary.
Geoff said: “The Message of Operation Seabird is that we want people to enjoy the beautiful wildlife in this country, but we don’t want it to be disturbed. People need to have respect and know when to keep a safe distance from marine life. The RSPCA values the endorsement of the MMO in the Operation Seabird programme.”
This comes just days after reports of two teenage boys touching a wild seal on Hornsea beach. They took selfies with it, despite calls from wildlife groups to leave the protected animals alone.
As shown in a video uploaded on social media, a boy appears to reach his hand out to touch the seal. His friend shouts in the background of the footage, saying “It will bite”.
In a statement at the time, A British Diver Marine Life Rescue spokesperson said: “It’s really disappointing to see. Our aim is to protect marine mammals and when videos like this surface it makes our job feel impossible.
“There’s little we can do to educate those that are clearly just looking for something to post on social media, even if it means cruelty to animals.
“Seals are vulnerable to any kind of human interactions, either deliberate or unintentional, and disturbance from humans is a significant and growing problem. Young seals are most affected by disturbance and only 25% are likely to survive to the age of 18 months in a bad year.”
By being a partner in Operation Seabird, organisations like the MMO are in agreement with the message to the general public to watch seals, dolphins, and nesting birds from a safe distance and if any disturbances are witnessed, to report to the relevant authorities.
Targeted ‘Days of Action’ events will be taking place at UK coastlines across the summer to focus on the specific concerns regarding marine life for that area. This is a police led operation, which is now being adopted by other coastal Police Forces who are embracing this operation, working with the MMO and RSPCA in partnership with local nature partnerships and other conservation organisations.
The overall aim will be to raise the profile of the programme, engaging with boat operators, jet ski operators and the public, and providing clear guidance on how to protect the marine wildlife in that area.
References
- ^ Moment ‘cruel’ boys pose with confused seal pup at Hornsea as public warned to stay away (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)