Grey seals Halichoerus grypus choking on common sole Solea solea Universiteit Gent
Between 2007 and 2015, we recorded three cases of asphyxiation of grey seals Halichoerus grypus caused by fish lodged in the respiratory tract. In all cases, the fish involved was a common sole Solea solea, and it had found its way to the trachea of the unfortunate seal, completely blocking it. That this fish species was involved, is not surprising: it has a very agile body, with a spectacular ability to bend longitudinally into a circular ...