Seal freed after being Wrapped “Like a Mummy” in Plastic waste
In the viral clip (also shared on Reddit’s r/BeAmazed), a volunteer rescuer approaches a seal that appears almost immobilized — its body wrapped tightly in plastic mesh and vegetable sack material. To bystanders, it resembles a tiny “mummy.”
This entanglement isn’t just a bizarre sight — it reflects a very real and dangerous problem for seals and other marine animals. Discarded plastic materials, including sacks, fishing nets, and other debris, can easily wash ashore or drift beneath the waves, snaring wildlife that mistakes them for food or habitat.
According to a recount of the incident, the seal was found completely wrapped from head to tail in a pink vegetable sack and fine netting — so tight that it struggled to move. Many animals in similar situations never make it ashore or survive to be found.
Careful and Courageous Rescue Effort
The rescuer in the video approaches slowly, likely aware that wild seals can be unpredictable and may bite when threatened. As Reddit commenter r/Manarion notes, “these animals are usually incredibly fast on land in addition to water, and can be understandably bite-y when cornered.”
With skilled, careful movements — including the use of EMT scissors and calm handling — the volunteer begins cutting away the netting and plastic wrapping. Other comments highlighted the quality equipment and experience involved:
“Those are EMT scissors, too. Not their first time doing this. This person knows exactly what they’re doing.”
Another Reddit user added a humorous twist while highlighting the absurdity of the situation:
“Humans steal seals new pink jacket… Seal says, you just ruined my favorite outfit.”
While the banter is light-hearted, the reality is serious: playground — or supermarket — waste should never end up threatening wildlife.
Successful Release and the Seal’s Reaction
Once the plastic entanglement was cut free, the seal finally regained mobility. In the video, you can see a visible shift in its posture — from a helpless, wrapped bundle to a freed animal capable of more natural movement. The exact final moment isn’t always included in all versions of the clip, but judging by similar rescues and viewer reactions, the seal likely retreated toward the water after regaining its ability to swim.
Redditors reacted strongly to the moment: “God bless you for being brave enough to do that for that seal ❤️Poor little guy thought it was all over for a second there!”
The kindness shown by the rescuers mirrors online sentiment in kindness-focused communities like r/kindness, where one commenter said simply: “That’s awesome! 👏 even though they risked their own personal safety.”
