An owl was rescued after its wing became trapped in a discarded fishing line in a canal in Edinburgh.
A member of Edinburgh recovery charity The Sorted Project was on a canal boat when they spotted the stricken bird hanging over the water in Ratho on Monday. They managed to untangle the distressed animal from the wire and called the Scottish SPCA who sent an officer out to meet the barge.
The tired owl was kept in a box with a hot water bottle. It made a full recovery and was later released but the SSPCA has issued a warning for people fishing in the canal.
Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer, Catherine Atterton, said: “I received a report of an owl trapped in a discarded fishing line next to Union Canal.
"The caller was passing by on their canal boat and spotted the animal in distress.
“Luckily, they managed to free the owl and were keeping the bird secure on their boat until I arrived.
“When I got there I examined the bird and managed to remove the rest of the fishing line from their left wing. Luckily it did not cause any obvious injuries. The poor animal was just exhausted from the whole ordeal.
“I let the owl rest for a while with a hot water bottle. After regaining their strength, I released them back into the wild.
“I would like to thank the caller for helping the bird and bringing this to our attention.
“Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. Fishing or roping line can cause life-threatening injuries to animals and we ask anybody using this equipment to please make sure they take this away with them and discard it in a safe manner.
“If anyone does find a wild animal trapped in any sort of wire or rope then please call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
The Sorted Project thanked the SSPCA and looked back on what was an eventful afternoon for their new volunteers.
Speaking on Facebook a spokesperson said: "We spotted an owl in distress, hanging from a discarded fishing line.
"With careful skill and epic teamwork, we managed to cut the owl free and provide some warmth and shelter on our way back to Ratho until a member of the Scottish SPCA team arrived. Thank you!
"With the tangled fishing line removed, the owl seemed much happier, although completely exhausted."
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