Andre Squires is being hailed a hero by the Richards Bay SPCA after he rescued a Yellow-Billed Kite painfully entangled in fishing line.
Richards Bay, South Africa (15 February 2024) – For a second time this week, a bird has had to be rescued from a high point, painfully entangled in a fishing line and hanging on for dear life. This time, the hero of the day is Andre Squires. Without his efforts, the beautiful Yellow-Billed Kite would have faced a slow and painful end.
We will be honest, our hearts are feeling really sore and we are frustrated! Wild animals are paying the price of lazy humans. The Richards Bay SPCA took to social media to sing the praises of Andre and his wife, who both worked tirelessly to save the Yellow-Billed Kite. Praise very much deserved!
Thanks to their efforts, the Yellow-Billed Kite was treated, and strong enough for release almost immediatly.
“Yesterday morning, Mr Squires and his wife went to Richards Bay Baai Saal for an outing and found a Yellow-Billed Kite hanging from a fish hook and line from a tree branch. They quickly sprung into action and managed to get the branch broken but the bird fell into the water.
Mr Squires swam out and retrieved the bird and brought it back to the safety of the shore. They then carefully removed the fish hook from his bottom beak, wrapped him in a towel and brought him to our SPCA for help.
We took the bird to the Meerensee Veterinary Hospital immediately for assessment of its injuries. The vet then treated the bird with some fluids and minor wound treatment on his beak and wing and gave him a much-needed meal to regain his strength.
After the magnificent bird was well rested, fed and treated, they took him outside for a flight test and he took of into the trees.”
The Richards Bay SPCA ended their praises of the couple by urging people to please be responsible with used fishing line.
“‼️ NB‼️This is why proper disposal of old fishing equipment is so important. What would’ve happened to this poor bird if they didn’t see him hanging in the tree? He probably would’ve died of hunger and dehydration because there was no way he would’ve been able to come down on his own.
Thank you Mr Squires for rescueing this Yellow-Billed Kite and bringing him to the right people to assist.
You sir, truly deserve a badge of honor in our books.”
There are innovative fishing line bins which can be installed at fishing hotspots and many already have them. We shared the concept in 2022, when the Dyer Island Conservation Trust had them installed to help protect marine birds.
Irresponsibly discarded fishing line causes havoc for wildlife, entangling animals and causing slow, painful deaths. To combat this, the Trust launched the Fishing Line Recovery and Recycling Programme in Gansbaai in 2010.
The concept is simple; they make up a bin system from PVC pipes, which enables a fisherman to discard the fishing line, knowing it won’t blow away.
The popularity of these fishing line bins is growing! There are currently 175 along the South African coastline. You can find a map of all current locations here.
Sources: Richards Bay SPCA
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 