A wounded baby grey seal who became stranded on an English beach has tragically died after a crowd of selfie-seekers scared the terrified animal back into the sea before the seal could receive medical treatment.
The seal pup, who had received a severe injury to the flipper from a fishing line, returned to the shore a few hours after the crowds had dispersed and was finally able to be rescued by the Dorset RSPCA.
On its Facebook page, Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) reported that a seal had been observed resting on Chesil Beach, but warned the public not to interfere with the animal.
“Whilst an encounter like this is exciting, it’s best to observe from a distance as they may become distressed and head back into the water,” the post read. “If they are already exhausted, unwell or injured this could be detrimental to their wellbeing.”
But unfortunately, this is exactly what happened, and the postponement of treatment due to the pup being frightened back into the water prolonged the seal’s agony.
“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,” an RSPCA spokesman said in a statement.
This sad story is a vivid reminder that wildlife should be left in peace and certainly never used as selfie props. If you find a sick or injured animal or one that is stranded, the best thing to do is contact your local animal rescue center.
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Jail.
Pathetic, selfish, despicable, idiotic morons! I despair of the human race!
Terrible and so sad.
These people who take selfies are really thoughtless and actually very self obsessed and rather stupid. One is always reading of animals dying or suffering due to human ignorance!
And I bet all the selfie seekers would say they were animal lovers !!!! Hope they are very proud of themselves now this baby has had to be pts due to their selfishness and inconsiderate behaviour !!
It figures! Everything is about taking selfies. As one person who is not on facebook, twitter, Instagram or any of those things ….. I say PEOPLE GET OVER YOURSELVES. You couldn’t see that the pup was injured and helpless? It was more important to take that picture to impress? Yeah well ok….. nice doing.
Il y a de plus en plus de dégénérés chez les dits “humains”
This should never never happen……These selfies scare animals and also to me bring tragic endings for these innocent souls!!! Just not right and somehow these selfies need to be banned for wild animals!!
People are SO stupid !!! They killed the poor baby! Terrible!!!!
I blame the idiots AND the rescuers for this seal pup’s death.
Social Media has dropped the average IQ exponentially.
It scares the living daylights out of me when I see/hear/read about the incredibly stupid, inconsiderate, and dangerous things people will do to get a selfie, and/or to post on their pages.
The Zombie Apocalypse is here, people.
Knowing how selfish and stupid the public is, the rescue people should have taken the seal and kept it for treatment and rehab until it was all healed. People don’t listen – the average person is a idiot. They NEVER think about the animal.
You couldn’t have said it any better.
I blame the idiots AND the rescuers for this seal pup’s death.
Knowing how selfish and damn stupid the public is, the rescue people should have taken the seal and kept it for treatment and rehab until it was all healed. People don’t listen – the average person is a idiot. They NEVER think about the animal.
I want to sign a petition about this. Tragic and so unnecessary. WTH is wrong with people with an injured seal. Stead of getting him help, they take selfie. What has our world come to?
I think people are getting meaner and more stupid eery day. How many times does this need to be said.
Establish a death sentence for the perpetrators of this crime.
How could these people not realize they were scaring the pup. I hope they have nightmares for the rest of their miserable lives over the death of this innocent seal pup. Nasty bunch of people.
Please a pup from a seal who has stranded is not made to be handled by 100 children. Making selfies after a trauma doing that is a bit selfish. Please consider that. Think about the animal.
what is with people who have to take these stupid selfies? poor little sea lion, r I p.
WHY ARE PEOPLE SO INCREDIBLY IGNORANT???? ANIMALS ARE NOT HERE FOR SELFIES! THIS POOR BABY HAS PAID THE PRICE WITH ITS LIFE. THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF IT WERE RULED BY ANIMALS. TOO MANY IGNORANT HUMANS ARE DESTROYING EVERYTHING!
the idiot people need shooting doing this…bloody excuse for humans to do this to this poor seal…
These narcissistic morons need to just stand in front of a mirror all day every day, since that just can’t seem to get enough of admiring themselves! They are seriously pathetic!
Well said!!
Humans who do selfies make me sick! They are narcissistic and should be put down!
Absolutely!
Are you happy you killed this seal you bunch of AHOLES? Karma will strike you
Well said. What is wrong with people?
All these fkn idiots and their selfies. No one cares about your pictures of your every move.
NOBODY NEEDS TO TAKE PICTURES/SELFIES OF INJURED ANIMALS.
Self serving losers
stupid ugly ppl need to stop thinking their about something and constantly taking pictures.
i meant they’re
These types of people are so narcissistic and self absorbed, that their actions have lead to them causing the suffering of an animal as a result.
WHY PEACEFUL & FAMILY FRIENDLY?! DO YOU THINK THESE PHOTOS ARE PEACEFUL & FAMILY FRIENDLY?!
ALL THESE CRUEL VICIOUS PEOPLE DESERVE TO DIE!!!!!
Just like rubber necks and ambulance chasers!
They don’t care about animals or people injured and in stress,as long as they get their pictures!
Sick Sick people!
Why are humans so incentive to these tragedies.
RIP poor baby xx What is wrong with people? Humans once again out of control!!!
just horrible. for haven’s sake people put your phones down. you are all responsible for the death of this poor creature, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Sweet creature, Rest in Peace.
BLOODY BARBARIANS
I’m ashamed to be a human being.
Thick, stupid humans, why can’t they use a little of the grey matter ??!! Now another animal has died through their selfish actions !!!!
People are so stupid and insensitive. Animals are living, breathing and sentient beings. If you see an injured animal call the authorities. Don’t spook it.
People are so annoying. These animals are not “things”,they are living, breathing animals. This particular seal pup needed medical care, but these stupid people harassed the pup with pictures, which ultimately caused his death. When will people learn? Do they even care? This seal pup death should never have happened.
These people just have never been told that animals feel the same pain as people.
Many may be just stupid kids. Where are their parents when they were taking selfies of this poor seal?
Their parents are just as stupid – why do you think their KIDS are so dumb? Probably the PARENTS were the ones taking the selfies.
Kids of parents who are animal aware don’t behave like this.
Poor innocent little seal.
I am completely disgusted with these stupid, thoughtless idiot people.
How can they have so little sense and still exist?
This sickens me totally.
This is sick and incredibly ignorant and arrogant. If you are this ignorant about animals, don’t go near them. There is no excuse for this. Find something productive to do in the hope that you may one day amount to something worthy of life.
Anything for a selfie posted on social media for the sole purpose of getting thumbs-up. Narcissism is becoming a universal sickness with so many mindless, heartless, shallow individuals. One single animal is more valuable than a thousand of these sorry creatures.
most people are so insensitive and self serving. they never know what the right thing to do is…
To a Millennial nothing, not even an animals welfare, is more valuable to boosting an ego eternally searching for affirmation. Sad.
Good analysis! Social media has made desperate narcissists out of so many emotionally and spiritually vacant individuals.
I just cannot understand the mentality of people cruelly taking stupid photo’s of themselves with a poor injured seal. I hope they feel ashamed of their selfishness which led to the seals death.
Bunch of self indulged a..holes. Have some people less brains than animals anymore? I am beginning to think YES!!