HOBART, Australia, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The fishing industry must take steps to better protect threatened sea birds, government biologists in Australia said following the rescue of an albatross.
Biologist Rachael Alderman said a Tasmanian albatross was recently found on Albatross Island with a fishing hook stuck through its beak, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Wednesday.
Wildlife biologists captured the injured animal and removed the hook, which Alderman suspects could eventually have cost the bird its life.
"The hook was still embedded in its bill and it was all going gangrenous and also probably interfering with how well it could catch and swallow food," the wildlife biologist said.
"It might not have been an immediate impact on this particular bird but over time it would have certainly had a negative impact and probably leading to its death in the end."
The ABC said individuals who accidentally catch sea birds while fishing have been asked to remove the hooks.
