THOMAS, the swift tern bird that was rescued on a Durban beach with two fish hooks in his stomach was released after a successful operation.
Tracy Shaw, Registrar at the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), had the honour of releasing Thomas at the North beach Pier.
“It was wonderful to see Thomas fly out my hands and soar high into the air before dipping, hugging the water and repeating the cycle over and over as he flew further and further from site,” she said.
ALSO READ: Bird swallows fish hook, rescued on Ushaka beach
Thomas was rescued last month by concerned beach goers and was brought to SAAMBR in a sickly state.
Dr Francois Lampen, uShaka Sea World veterinarian, was able to surgically remove the hooks from Thomas.
SAAMBR said Thomas made “remarkable progress” in his rehabilitation and was fitted with a silver safring prior to his release.
“If you see a swift tern sporting a silver ring when you are walking along the Durban beaches or visiting the bay area, it could very well be Thomas,” said SAAMBR.
Thomas’ case has highlighted the dangers of marine pollution and fisherman not properly disposing of their hooks.
SAAMBR and the World Wide Fund for nature published a guide for responsible angling which can be found here: opens as PDF.
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