Adorable elephant seal pup is found with huge fishing hook caught in its mouth

An elephant seal pup suffering with a fishing hook caught in its mouth is now in the care of wildlife experts after being rescued this past week in Santa Barbara County.

The pup received treatment at the Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute, which posted photos on March 13 of the rubber fishing lure stuck at the corner of its mouth. The seal likely mistook the lure for squid, according to the institute.

The rescuers said they would remove the hook, line and lure and give the pup a full physical examination.

“We’ll also give it the fish nutrition it needs to gain some additional weight before returning it back to the wild,” the institute explained on its social media.

The organization did not give a clear timeline on when the pup would return, but it noted that weight gain is a critical element in rehabilitating an animal under feeding and treatment plans.

The seal was not the only animal dealing with fishing entanglement.

The institute posted another video on March 15 featuring a sea lion pup in Ventura County that also had a hook in the lower-right part of its mouth that got caught on some barnacles on a pier. Fortunately, local lifeguards were able to help the pup free itself, the video showed.

Entanglement with fishing gear is one of the biggest threats to marine life, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Animals can starve or drown from the fishing gear, and such equipment can inflict physical trauma and infection that requires immediate assistance, the wildlife institute said.

Visitors to beaches in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties who spot animals in distress can call the institute’s rescue hotline at (805) 567-1505.

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