Seals are injured and killed by entanglement in ghost fishing gear and marine litter, with wildlife rescue organisations providing rehabilitation for affected individuals.
Entangled seals experience chronic pain from constricting gear that cuts deeper into tissue as animals grow, causing infection, breathing difficulty, and eventual death if not rescued. Rescue requires specialist equipment and trained handlers to safely approach and cut gear from stressed wild animals. Prevention through ghost gear reduction addresses the source while rescue provides welfare relief for affected individuals.