A young seal in the Brest harbor has been living for several years with a rope around its neck, slowly strangling it. The Sea Shepherd association has been trying to help for several months, but so far without success.
Hopewell, a young gray seal, has made himself at home in Landévennec, in the Brest harbor (Finistère). Nicknamed by the sailing instructors at the Moulin Mer water sports center, he spends his summers basking in the sun on floating oyster farms. In winter, he disappears, likely heading toward the Iroise Sea. At first glance, his life seems particularly peaceful.
Yet, for the past two years, the animal has lived under a sword of Damocles: its neck is constricted by a fishing rope, cutting into its raw flesh and slowly strangling it as it grows. « Hopewell is a young gray seal estimated to be between 5 and 10 years old, given a wide range (these animals can live between 30 and 40 years). It’s not easy to determine his exact age, but he’s definitely a subadult with a lot of growing left to do, » explains Enrique Petit, an animal caretaker at the Sea Shepherd Rescue care center, in an interview with Sciences et Avenir.
A Rescue Mission Full of Challenges
The French branch of the ocean defense organization has been trying to help him since September, but the rescue mission is proving far more difficult than it seems. For one, Hopewell is a large animal. « We estimate his weight to be 90–100 kg, maybe a bit more, but it’s hard for us to confirm this based on visual assessment, » the caretaker notes. Additionally, the seal never seems to come ashore, preferring to rest on floating installations offshore.
Another challenge is the seal’s seasonal disappearance during winter. « Based on local information, he seems to leave the Brest harbor during the winter months, only reappearing in March or April at the Landévennec oyster farm. This was the case during the 2023–2024 winter, when we had no sightings from late November to early April, » says Enrique Petit. It is believed he ventures to the Iroise Sea during this time. Finally, Hopewell cannot be sedated as it could lead to drowning.
A Floating Platform to Attempt His Rescue
The Sea Shepherd association devised a plan to place a floating platform in the areas frequented by Hopewell. The platform featured a sliding trap door designed to safely contain the seal, allowing the team to remove the rope strangling him. However, this required Hopewell to climb onto the platform, which he never did.
« Last Tuesday, we had to remove the platform as the administrative permits we had obtained to install it had expired, » Sea Shepherd explained in a statement released on November 29. During the removal, Hopewell was nearby, allowing clear photos of both his injury and himself to be taken.
A Fundraiser to Improve the Platform
The organization now aims to renew its permits and reinstall the platform, upgraded to make it more durable. « The strong winds of recent days damaged part of the door, which no longer slides properly. The wood and tubes absorbed a lot of water, » the association explained. To finance the reinforcement of the platform, Sea Shepherd has launched an online fundraiser.
How to Attract the Seal?
This task will require immense patience from those involved. « The trap platform is likely too ‘closed’ for him. Maybe we need to move closer to the oyster farm lines, » ponders Enrique Petit. « The idea is to present him with a simple, open floating platform with no edges. Once he gets used to using it, we can slowly start adding edges, one section at a time, until the trap is fully enclosed, giving him time to adapt. We will also reinforce the edges to ensure he cannot escape once inside. »
« Hopewell is doomed to die a slow and painful death if we don’t manage to free him from the rope tightening around his neck, » warns Sea Shepherd. While the rescue presents a major challenge, the organization remains optimistic. « We can do this, » they affirm. « Over the past three months, we’ve learned a lot. We observe, we learn, we adapt, and we move forward, » concludes the determined caretaker.
Source: sciencesetavenir
