A young seagull has been rescued by the RSCPA after its feet got tangled in a face mask. The bird was rescued after it was seen struggling to walk. A picture posted by RSPCA Essex South shows a blue face mask tied on both the feet of the bird. The bird was spotted having difficulty in walking for almost a week, after which one of the teams in Chelmsford, Essex on Saturday picked it up from there. The blue facemask is the one which is commonly used by people as a protective gear during the spread of coronavirus. The bird was taken to South Essex Wildlife Hospital in Grays to receive veterinary care.  The incident comes as a strict warning to people to dispose of things responsibly, especially during these tough times. Seagull Falls Into Curry Making People Think of it as an 'Exotic' Bird, UK Animal Rescue Shares Before And After Pictures.

RSPCA inspector Adam Jones said, "Staff at a car showroom nearby had spotted the gull around a week earlier and were concerned that he seemed to be struggling to walk. Whenever they got near him to see what was wrong he flew off." However, on Saturday, it couldn't move and sit in the same spot for hours, so the RSCPA people decided to step in. He added, "I went out to catch him and when he tried to hop away he would stumble and fall. As soon as I caught him it was clear to see why as the poor thing had a disposable Covid face mask tangled around both legs." Mother Bird Feeds Her Chick a Discarded Cigarette Butt on Florida Beach, Disheartening Pic Highlights Issues of Littering.

Seagull With Face Mask Trapped on Feet, Rescued:

Seagull Being Rescued:

The bird has now been released back into its habitat. Adam added, "I'm concerned that this gull could be the first of many victims now that face masks are the norm. I'd appeal to all members of the public to ensure they dispose of their face masks and disposable gloves - and all other types of litter - properly and responsibly, so that animals don't get hurt."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 21, 2020 09:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).