A seal that was the centre of a public outcry after being pictured with a drinks can stuck to its mouth has been found in Scotland.
The animal was spotted earlier this month in Belfast and an image of it, with a Red Bull tin stuck in its mouth, was widely circulated on social media.
Local rescue volunteers and animal welfare groups had attempted to find the animal to see if the can could be removed after the image first appeared at the beginning of this month. The seal was pictured on the banks of the Lagan in the Queen’s Island area.
But the animal was spotted in Scotland by Ministry of Defence police who managed to remove the can. The MOD did not release many details of the incident, but it is believed the animal was found in the Clyde River.
The MOD did not say in their statement where the seal was found, but part of the officers’ role would be to protect the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine base at Faslane.
A MOD spokesperson said: “MOD Police Clyde Marine Unit officers freed this animal in distress and would urge people to take extra care in how they dispose of their rubbish near any water way.”
