Latest news with #CleethorpesWildlifeRescue
BBC News
13-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rescuers find 'seal in distress' is just a rock
Rescuers called out to help a seal crying in distress off the North East Lincolnshire coast found the struggling animal was actually just a large rock. A member of the public contacted Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue on Sunday with concerns over the seal's safety. A vet and two volunteers scanned the beach with no joy – and when they asked the caller for an exact location, they realised it was a large seal-shaped rock. Aaron Goss, lead rescuer at the charity, said: "We are frequently telling people not to approach seals and to not disturb them. The rock did look like a seal, so the member of the public [has] done the right thing." He added: "They have stayed back and contacted [us] to give us the heads up, so they have done nothing wrong at all and, of course, it is quite humorous that it was just a rock. "I don't know where she heard the crying from, but that's not a problem – maybe it was a passing gull!" Mr Goss said the call-out came from the Wonderland end of the beach. "She was adamant it was not moving very much but she said it had been moving and she could hear it calling," he said. "A guy had zoomed in on his phone camera and it was definitely a seal. "We were scanning the beach for a really long time, trying to figure out where on earth is this seal. "Eventually, we called her back and asked her for a bit more information, and managed to find – from the description that she had given with the new location –that it was definitely a rock." It was not the first time something had been misidentified as a seal. "A few years ago, we had a log wash up a bit further out on the beach, and people mistook that for a seal," Mr Goss said. "And, again, it did look like a seal from quite a distance. "It's not a problem. We can get the big binoculars out and double-check." The rescue organisation said it was always better to be safe than sorry, and reports of concerns about animals would be followed up. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rescuers find 'seal in distress' is just a rock
Rescuers called out to help a seal crying in distress off the North East Lincolnshire coast found the struggling animal was actually just a large rock. A member of the public contacted Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue on Sunday with concerns over the seal's safety. A vet and two volunteers scanned the beach with no joy – and when they asked the caller for an exact location, they realised it was a large seal-shaped rock. Aaron Goss, lead rescuer at the charity, said: "We are frequently telling people not to approach seals and to not disturb them. The rock did look like a seal, so the member of the public [has] done the right thing." He added: "They have stayed back and contacted [us] to give us the heads up, so they have done nothing wrong at all and, of course, it is quite humorous that it was just a rock. "I don't know where she heard the crying from, but that's not a problem – maybe it was a passing gull!" Mr Goss said the call-out came from the Wonderland end of the beach. "She was adamant it was not moving very much but she said it had been moving and she could hear it calling," he said. "A guy had zoomed in on his phone camera and it was definitely a seal. "We were scanning the beach for a really long time, trying to figure out where on earth is this seal. "Eventually, we called her back and asked her for a bit more information, and managed to find – from the description that she had given with the new location –that it was definitely a rock." It was not the first time something had been misidentified as a seal. "A few years ago, we had a log wash up a bit further out on the beach, and people mistook that for a seal," Mr Goss said. "And, again, it did look like a seal from quite a distance. "It's not a problem. We can get the big binoculars out and double-check." The rescue organisation said it was always better to be safe than sorry, and reports of concerns about animals would be followed up. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Wildlife charity's donation plea as rescues surge Beachgoers told not to disturb resting seals Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue
BBC News
12-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rescuers find that 'crying seal in distress' is just a rock
Rescuers called out to help a seal crying in distress off the North East Lincolnshire coast found the struggling animal was actually just a large rock.A member of the public contacted Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue on Sunday with concerns over the seal's safety. A vet and two volunteers scanned the beach with no joy – and when they asked the caller for an exact location, they realised it was a large seal-shaped Goss, lead rescuer at the charity, said: "We are frequently telling people not to approach seals and to not disturb them. The rock did look like a seal, so the member of the public [has] done the right thing." He added: "They have stayed back and contacted [us] to give us the heads up, so they have done nothing wrong at all and, of course, it is quite humorous that it was just a rock."I don't know where she heard the crying from, but that's not a problem – maybe it was a passing gull!"Mr Goss said the call-out came from the Wonderland end of the beach."She was adamant it was not moving very much but she said it had been moving and she could hear it calling," he said."A guy had zoomed in on his phone camera and it was definitely a seal. "We were scanning the beach for a really long time, trying to figure out where on earth is this seal."Eventually, we called her back and asked her for a bit more information, and managed to find – from the description that she had given with the new location –that it was definitely a rock."It was not the first time something had been misidentified as a seal."A few years ago, we had a log wash up a bit further out on the beach, and people mistook that for a seal," Mr Goss said."And, again, it did look like a seal from quite a distance."It's not a problem. We can get the big binoculars out and double-check."The rescue organisation said it was always better to be safe than sorry, and reports of concerns about animals would be followed up. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cleethorpes Wildlife Charity seeks donations as rescues surge
A wildlife rescue charity is appealing for financial donations after seeing an increase in animal drop-offs, but a decline in Wildlife Rescue reported nearly 80% of people who drop off sick or injured wild animals do not donate towards their marks an increase of about 30% compared to last Goss, lead rescuer at the charity, described it as "quite a surprising statistic" and said it was a pattern rescue centres across the UK were seeing. The volunteer-led organisation helps to rehabilitate injured wildlife in North East Lincolnshire and relies solely on donations. They sometimes tend to over 20 animals a day and had more than 1,000 wildlife casualties last year. When a member of the public reports an injured bird or mammal they are given the option to donate and 79% of people have declined so far this year, according to the charity. Mr Goss said: "I do think it is a case that sometimes just actually at the time of finding the animal, it can be hard for people to donate at that time."He added: "We're always struggling, but we always make it work. If we are at a lower point financially, it does mean that we can't accept as many animals in maybe we could do." Mr Goss works night shifts at a paid job and volunteers for the wildlife rescue during the day. When working with the charity, he often carries out rescue missions in the wildlife ambulance - which includes situations like helping a fox cub trapped in netting or tending to a deer that has been hit by a go towards rescuing and feeding animals, as well as paying for their wildlife ambulance and training volunteers. "So it is really important that if we can get a few more monthly donors, that would be brilliant." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
CCTV watches over nesting swans in town centre
Measures to protect swans in a town centre after two were attacked last year have been reintroduced. Fencing and CCTV were put in place in April 2024 following a number of incidents where bottles were thrown at two birds. The safety measures have again been put in by Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue (CWR) to protect two nesting birds on the River Freshney in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire. The swans, in the same spot as last year, have laid two eggs and CWR is monitoring the video footage to ensure their safety. CWR volunteers were granted a licence by North East Lincolnshire Council to put in the fencing and CCTV. The rescue group said the safety measures were considered a success last year, with disturbance of the nest dropping from an average of four a day to fewer than four over the entire incubation period. They have asked people not to feed the swans on or near the nest as it attracts predators, which puts the birds at risk. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Swans in Grimsby protected from attacks by CCTV Swan dies following suspected dog attack Bird flu outbreak affects swans at nature reserve Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue
