A SEAL has been spotted entangled with a toilet seat in Aberdeenshire, with rescuers saying "nothing can be done" unless the animals comes ashore.
On Wednesday, Ythan Seal Watch posted a pictures and videos of a seal with a toilet seat stuck around its midsection after members of the public raised the alarm.
Thousands of both grey and harbour seals are regularly seen in the River Ythan and estuary near Newburgh in Aberdeenshire.
However, Ythan Seal Watch said that while they see a huge variety of entanglements this was "the most unusual by far".
A statement said: "Both the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and YSW have received multiple reports of a Seal currently in the estuary that has become entangled in a white toilet seat.
"The seat appears to be around the seal's midsection. We want to thank all the visitors who have made reports and sent in video and photos.
"We have witnessed a huge variety of entanglements on Seals (mostly discarded fishing waste, commercial/industrial products) but this is the most unusual by far.
"The team from the BDMLR who deal with entanglement rescues at the site are aware of the Seal and the Forvie reserve staff have also been informed to help monitor it.
"Until such a time that it is on land and the BDMLR can get to it there isn't anything that can be done to attempt to help it.
"The Seal would need to be safely contained to work on the entanglement and asses the Seal for injuries. In the mean time we would ask that any pictures or sightings of the Seal be posted here to help monitor it. This also helps us to track the days the Seal is at the site and if it is even still at the Ythan."
They called on anyone who spots the seal to report any sightings on the Ythan Seal Watch Facebook page, with onlookers encouraged to contact the BDMLR on 01825 765546 if it is spotted on the beach around the River Ythan.
"If on Newburgh we ask would that it is not approached and please do not attempt any rescue," the statement continued.
"Seals like this required a lot of training and experience to manage. If on Forvie the Seal would have to be behind the colony as near to the top of the beach as possible and not on the waters edge at the haul-out.
"Even then the BDMLR would have to assess tide and weather conditions, location and time of day before a rescue attempt was made.
"We would also ask that visitors who still approach the haul-out on the reserve view the Seals from Newburgh as instructed.
"We can't help Seals like this when the colony is being disturbed. Please follow the Police Scotland and Naturescot advice and don't approach the Seals on Forvie. We would still ask that visitors who do this are reported to Police Scotland on 101 as per the advice from the wildlife crimes officer."
In a post on Facebook, BDMLR questioned if the sea was "becoming one big toilet".
They said: “What’s floating around in our sea? Well, in this case, a toilet seat! Stuck to a seal!
“We have had so many calls about this seal and usually the caller says “You’re not going to believe this!”. You’re right. We couldn’t quite believe it. Even the other seals look confused.
“We see so many incidents of entanglements. Is this ironic? Or is our sea just becoming one big toilet?
“Unfortunately there’s nothing we can do until the seal is alone as if it is with a colony we risk endangering all of the other seals. Hopefully we can get to it”.
