An injured seal pup died after washing up on a Dorset Beach as people scared it to go back into the sea as they took pictures of it.
The grey seal reportedly had one of its flippers seriously injured.
It is believed that the seal got its injury after getting caught in a fishing line that cut into its bone.
The seal washed up on the Chesil Beach in West Bexington, Dorset.
After spotting the animal, people started to come close to the injured animal and ended up taking pictures of it.
Not knowing what was happening, the seal took a turn and went back into the water even with its injury.
The seal returned back to the shore a couple of hours after it was forced to swim back. By this time, it was the evening and most of the people already left the beach.
A concerned member of the public saw the injured seal and called the RSPCA to help it out.
Derek Davey, a wildlife expert who lives near the Chesil Beach, took care of the seal for a short amount of time before it was transferred to the RSPCA Center at West Hatch near Taunton, Somerset.
Authorities tried to treat the animal for its injuries, but the animal passed away later that day.
Davey said the seal would have probably died even if it was rescued earlier that day, but it had to endure pain for a longer time due to the people who took images of the injured seal.
Davey explained, “Taking photographs and crowding around it made it go back into the water to get away. Luckily it later came ashore again hours later. It would still have been the same result had it been rescued earlier but it must have endured quite a sow death by going back into the sea.”
He added, “It had a fishing line around its flipper which had dug into the bone and the wound was infected.”
According to the RSPCA, the seal was in an “emaciated condition” and had an infection that already reached its bones.
An official statement that was released by RSPCA, and it stated, “The wildlife vet cleaned the wound out but the infection was already in the bone and so the decision was made to put the seal to sleep based on the extent of this injury and the impact it would have on the future of the seal.”
The statement added, “The vet said the wound was narrow, and deep, and although they did not find anything within the wound which could have caused it, it is thought something like fishing line had been wrapped around it.”
RSPCA West Hatch near Taunton has cared for 40 seals since the autumn started this year.
If you see an injured animal, you are advised to call your local authorities so the animal could be helped.