Hallmark Channel star Tyler Hynes had fans in awe after video surfaced of his freeing a seagull tangled in fishing line, gaining its trust as he gently snipped away the offending material.
On Sept. 1, Hynes (@tyler_hynes) posted footage of the incident on Instagram with a caption reminding people to "be kind" by properly disposing of trash and cleaning up their gear.
In the clip, Hynes — a Toronto-born actor known for Hallmark hits such as "Three Wise Men and a Baby" and "It Was Always You" — is seen approaching a seagull on the shore of a lake. The bird is unable to move freely because of an abandoned line that had become wrapped around its leg. As the actor approaches, the creature attempts to escape.
Luckily for this seagull, Hynes is planning to help make things right. Scissors in hand, he slowly bends down and begins cutting away the knots impeding the seagull's movement. At one point, the bird appears to realize the actor is there to assist and simply gazes up at him as he works. Finally, the seagull is free and swims away seemingly no worse for the wear.
"The bird just looked at him with such loving eyes," one commenter wrote. "Animals recognize sweet people."
Sadly, according to Heavy's coverage of the story, the Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia explained to CTV News that it has encountered an increasing number of birds injured by or entangled in fishing gear.
In fact, ghost gear — that is, fishing gear that is abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded — is widely referred to as a "silent killer."
World Animal Protection notes that fishing gear generally contains plastics that can take up to 600 years to break down. In turn, each ghost net turns into a long-lasting "floating death trap," harming and killing marine life and leading to economic losses for people who depend on the oceans for their livelihoods.
However, as Wildlife Rescue Association of BC executive director Linda Bakker highlighted to CTV News in June, taking action to protect wildlife from fishing gear is simple.
"At a lot of lakes, it [is] really easy to dispose of your fishing line; there are special bins set up. So if you can, please use that," Bakker said. "If it does wash up on the shore or you notice it somewhere, please pick it up and take it out, even if not yours."
Bakker also recommended that people call the appropriate wildlife organization if they encounter an entangled creature. Fortunately, thanks to Hynes, this seagull's story has a happy ending.
"That was one of the most touching things I have ever seen," one commenter wrote on Hynes' Instagram post. "I had tears in my eyes. … What an amazing thing that you did."
"Humans need to be more careful with what they leave behind," another said. "Thank you for being a nature hero!"
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