Over the past week and a half the seal has been sighted by numerous members of the public at Weltons Bay, on the outskirts of Wicklow town.
Seal Rescue Ireland mainly focus on seal pups up to their first year of life, as this is the time when seals are at their most vulnerable. Mortality rates decrease significantly once seals reach young adulthood.
The seal in question is currently being monitored closely by their animal care team and their local rescue network volunteers, who are happy with its weight and body condition. For special cases involving adult seals such as this, Seal Rescue Ireland also notify NPWS and consult with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) in the UK.
A spokesperson stated: “At present, we are keeping the situation under observation rather than intervening, for a couple of important reasons.
“Firstly, this seal is a young adult and has already gone through its main growth phase. While entanglement is always a concern, it is not as immediately life-threatening for a healthy adult seal as it would be for a growing pup.
The seal with some sort of entanglement around its neck at Weltons Bay, Co Wicklow.
“In pups, entanglements can tighten as they grow, leading to deep wounds, infections, compromised immune systems, stunted growth and, in some cases, fatal illness. As this seal has already had its growth spurt and is maintaining a healthy body weight, the level of risk is significantly lower.
“Secondly, rescuing and handling seals is an extremely stressful process for them. At this time, the seal is displaying excellent body condition, along with bright, alert and active behaviour. In such cases, attempting a capture to remove the entanglement could cause more stress and potential harm than continued monitoring. In many adult cases, entanglements can loosen or snap off naturally over time.”
While Seal Rescue Ireland actively rescue and rehabilitate seal pups up to around a year old, they take different actions in the case of older and adult seals, as they are very large, strong, wild animals.
The spokesperson added: “In the case of adults, the situation is more complex and requires a lot of consideration, given the health and safety risks for people interacting with large wild animals like this injured seal and for nearby seals. Human disturbance can cause stress not only to the entangled seal but also to any seals near them, which can lead to stampeding towards the water and further injury.
“In cases such as these we must wait for very specific conditions in order to intervene safely, and in previous cases this can take days or months, we are even aware of seals being monitored for years before the right opportunity arose to detangle it.”
Any changes in the seal’s condition, such as weight loss, lethargy, or worsening of the entanglement, should be reported to Seal Rescue Ireland via their 24/7 rescue phone/WhatsApp on 087 195 5393. In the seven months since June, Seal Rescue Ireland has rescued over 200 seals, more than the 178 rescued in the entirety of 2025.