SHETLAND, UK: Pixie, a plump grey seal, grunts and rolls towards the water on one of Scotland’s Shetland Islands to retrieve a fish that has been left for its lunch. Pixie is one of the many rescued seals, most of whom arrived at a sanctuary on the main island’s north coast sick and emaciated from ingesting food and seawater contaminated with microplastics and chemicals. Others suffered severe neck injuries after becoming entangled in plastic straps or fishing nets. Pete and Jan Bevington, who run the sanctuary in Hillswick, a village north of Shetland’s main town, Lerwick, say pollution is wreaking havoc on seal populations on the archipelago known for its dramatic cliffs, rugged coastlines, and diverse wildlife.
Effects of climate change have been linked to the increased release of hazardous chemicals washed in from water bodies and sewers, according to a report published in January by the UK government’s Environment Agency. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were banned in the mid-1980s but still find their way into the marine environment through the destruction and disposal of industrial plants and old equipment, are among those chemicals. PCBs accumulate in shellfish and fish, which seals consume, weakening their immune systems and making them more vulnerable to infections and diseases. Entanglement wounds are becoming an increasingly common problem at the sanctuary.
The seal grows, but not the plastic
Pete says the seals become entangled in plastic straps around their necks and cannot free themselves. The seal grows, but not the plastic. He claims that there are an increasing number of seals with neck wounds around here. Orca pods, most likely from Iceland, that have been hunting Shetland’s shores in increasing numbers in search of new feeding grounds have also been wreaking havoc on seal populations. He claims that killer whales are showing up more frequently than in the past. We believe this is because they are no longer receiving the food supply they previously received elsewhere.
Since Jan Bevington, 76, founded the sanctuary in 1987 after discovering a sickly seal washed up on a nearby beach. The sanctuary has rehabilitated hundreds of animals. She said she didn’t know what to do with it, so she called around England and Scotland to find out what to do, and that’s how the whole thing began. It is difficult to cover Shetland’s vast 1,500-mile coastline, but the Bevingtons have established a network of trained volunteers throughout the archipelago to assist them in rescuing seals and otters.
According to Pete, they rehydrate them, keep them warm, let them rest, and then feed them. The couple admits to becoming attached to some of their rescues, each of which is given a new name, but they are careful not to interfere with nature. Their mission is to repair the damage caused by humans. Returning animals like Pixie, the sanctuary’s fattest seal at over 60 kg (132 pounds), to their natural environment is a joyful experience. With a shrug, Pete Bevington said, “When they’re about 40, 50 kilos, we let them go out into the wild,” and after that, they are on their own.
