A seagull snagged by fishing line and a hook got rescued on Sept. 27 when Shaquile Simpson stepped in to help the struggling bird. He carefully untangled the line before removing a hook lodged in its beak.
Video recorded by Simpson's wife, Cloey A. Stiers, shows him approaching the gull and gently freeing the fishing line wrapped around it, according to USA Today. With Stiers' help, Simpson then went to work on the hook caught in the bird's beak, carefully pulling it free. The couple worked together to safely free the gull from the tackle that had ensnared it.
A Team Effort to Free a Struggling Bird
Once the line and hook were removed, the seagull was given a chance to return to the wild, per the same USA Today account. The rescue unfolded in stages, with Simpson handling the delicate work of removing the tangled gear while Stiers both filmed and assisted directly with the hook extraction.
Why Fishing Gear Is So Dangerous for Birds
Incidents like this one are far from rare. Fishing line, weights and hooks pose hazards to birds, often impairing their ability to fly, swim, find shelter or obtain food, according to the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance. The organization notes that thousands of birds are killed or injured each year after becoming tangled in or ingesting discarded fishing gear.
Seabirds are especially vulnerable because they are drawn to fishing gear by the food associated with it, which can lead to them becoming hooked or entangled, particularly around longline fisheries, per NOAA Fisheries. The problem extends well beyond birds alone. Marine debris entanglement has been documented across multiple wildlife groups, with all seven species of sea turtles found entangled at some point, along with nearly one-third of seabird species and close to 40% of marine mammals, according to the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
What to Do if You Find an Entangled Bird
For anyone who comes across a bird caught in fishing line, the Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance recommends capturing the animal if possible and cutting away the entangled material before seeking rehabilitation care. Simpson and Stiers' rescue offers a real-world example of that kind of intervention.
