Wildlife Welfare

Preventing Wildlife Entanglement in Human Debris

Millions of wild animals are injured or killed annually by entanglement in fishing gear, packaging, netting, and other human-made materials.

Key Facts

Ghost fishing gear (lost or abandoned nets) kills marine wildlife for decades
Six-pack plastic rings have been modified to be wildlife-safe following campaigns
Over 1,000 species of marine wildlife are affected by entanglement
Rubber bands and hair ties are common causes of limb entanglement in garden wildlife
Entanglement causes prolonged suffering including starvation, drowning, and infected wounds

Welfare Considerations

Entanglement in human debris causes some of the most prolonged and preventable suffering in wild animals. Ghost fishing gear is particularly harmful, continuing to trap and kill wildlife indefinitely. Addressing entanglement requires improved gear design, retrieval programs, better waste management, and consumer behavior changes around single-use materials.

What You Can Do

Cut all loops in plastic packaging before disposal
Participate in beach and waterway clean-up events
Support organizations collecting and recycling ghost fishing gear
Advocate for fishing gear marking and deposit schemes to reduce gear abandonment