British Divers Marine Life Rescue’s mission is to provide assistance to any aquatic (marine and freshwater) animal in need of help.
It does this through the training of specialist marine mammal medics and deploying them around the country. Teams use an array of specialist rescue and PPE equipment to facilitate the rescue and release of animals, from mammals (seals and cetaceans, and the odd otter) to turtles and even fish.
BDMLR attempts to attend all call outs it receives whether that is simply checking a seal reported by a member of the public to a full blown environmental disaster such as an oil spill. It has medics and various pieces of specialised equipment located around the UK coast and works with rehabilitation centres and experts in many fields of animal rescue.
Over the years BDMLR has built a reputation for its high standard of work and exceptional knowledge and has been contacted by many overseas organisations and governments to assist with training personnel or providing rescuers and gear.
BDMLR relies on donations to carry on this vital rescue work, as equipment, training and other costs involved such as veterinary advice and care can be very expensive.
During 2019 BDMLR received just under 2,000 callouts, this was an increase of 24% from 2018, which was 28% higher than 2017. Therefore, we expect 2020 to be another record year, so more than ever we need your help to reach even more animas in distress.