Wildlife Entanglement: Prevention and Response

Entanglement in plastic waste, fishing gear, fencing, and other human-made materials causes suffering and death for thousands of wild animals annually across multiple species groups.

Key Facts

An estimated 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear is lost or abandoned in the ocean each year
Deer become entangled in garden netting and football goal nets causing severe injury and death
Seals and sea lions entangle in plastic packing bands causing progressive constriction wounds
Wildlife hospitals report entanglement as a leading cause of admission across bird and mammal species
Simple changes in garden and agricultural practice can eliminate many entanglement risks

Welfare Considerations

Entanglement causes some of the most acute and prolonged suffering in wildlife welfare. An animal caught in netting, fishing line, or plastic banding experiences immediate fear followed by escalating injury as the material cuts into tissue during struggle. Aquatic animals drown; terrestrial animals die of exhaustion, exposure, or infection from wounds. Many entanglements are preventable: garden netting stored when not in use, fishing line disposed of correctly, plastic packing bands cut before disposal, and football goal nets removed when not in use all eliminate entanglement risks that cost wildlife significant suffering every year.

What You Can Do

Remove or store garden netting when not actively needed to prevent bird and mammal entanglement
Cut plastic packing bands and rings before disposal to prevent wildlife constriction
Dispose of all fishing line in designated recycling bins rather than leaving on the ground
Remove football and sports netting when not in use
Report entangled wildlife to local rescue organisations immediately