The cry from the grey seal pup lying half-strangled by fishing net on the rocks at Thurso could be mistaken for that of a human baby.
But there’s no mistaking the snapping sound of rubber gloves coming from Clare Boardman’s house the moment she learns the stricken creature is suffering there.
She jumps into protective clothing and heads out into the fading light on a mission to free the tangled animal before it drowns in the incoming tide.
‘It does make you worry about bird flu’
It’s all part of the job for the Caithness resident and husband Phil, British Divers Marine Life Rescue medics who set up the Caithness Seal Rehab and Release charity, which runs a makeshift seal hospital based in one of her outbuildings in the village of Brough.
Together with their fellow volunteers, they freed the Thurso seal from the fishing nets and the animal is recovering from the ordeal.
But with seal carcasses testing positive for bird flu throughout the Highlands and Islands and Aberdeenshire, Clare is making sure all seal saving carried out is being done so carefully.
Clare and her volunteers wear gloves, goggles, masks, and waterproof clothing to minimise the chances of transmission of the disease.
She said: “We know the chance of bird flu passing to us is slim, but it could happen.
“It does make you worry, especially when you take in young sick seals in case that’s what we might be dealing with.”
When humans caught bird flu from seals
There have only been two documented incidents of avian influenza transmission from seals to humans.
According to the UK government, they occurred among scientists working with seals between 1979 to 1980.
No-one died and the incidents did not lead to human-human transmission.
However, with the number of cases of bird flu continuing to grow globally, experts are warning of a step-change in its spread.
And the Scottish Government is now reviewing the protective clothing (PPE) advice it hands to seal rescuers, as well as other wildlife workers and volunteers.
Rescue organisations like Clare’s are being urged to look very closely at their own risk assessments.
“I could never stop caring for seals despite bird flu risk’
Clare says she is concerned about where this review of wildlife rescuer safety might lead.
“If the Government came out and told us to stop taking in injured or sick seals anymore because of the risk of bird flu, I don’t think I could do it, to be honest,” she said.
“It would be very difficult to walk past a sick seal, in fact I just couldn’t do it, I would have to just deal with the consequences.”
Minimal risk is not no risk
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The strain of avian flu responsible for these cases has been shown to have very limited ability to infect humans.
“The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) task force, whose membership includes Public Health Scotland and Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals, is reviewing advice on personal protective equipment requirements for rescue centres and volunteers involved in responding to reports of sick animals.
“Organisations should review their own risk assessments and can contact Public Health Scotland for advice.”
Read more:
Bird flu detected in seals with cases in Aberdeenshire and Highlands and Islands
Experts concerned about how far bird flu is spreading globally
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