Some 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean yearly, endangering marine life. Illegally discarded fishing gear and other commercial detritus puts the fur seals on the Namibian coast at most risk. The Ocean Conservation Namibia rescue team saved more than 3,500 seals from plastic waste.
This little six-week-old pup has only been swimming for a few weeks but has already been entangled by a gill net. The rescuer can walk right up to the sleeping pup and quickly remove the nets looped around his neck. His fellow pups sleep through his entire ordeal.
Capturing an entangled seal is usually a little more complex. It takes several rescuers, a beach chase, and a special cone-shaped net with a zipper. In this case a little pup didn't want to leave his mom, making things a bit harder for the team.
The team even had an incredibly rare rescue of a stranded humpback whale. This one is very stressful to watch, but it is worth sticking with it to see the whale swim off on its own.
Previously: Baby seal enters house through cat door, has a whale of a time
