Harassment of seal at Strand Beach has serious ramifications
19 October 2023
The City of Cape Town and SPCA want to express their outrage at the ongoing public harassment of a seal on Strand Beach that resulted in the seal attacking a visitor and the ultimate unnecessary death of the seal.
After days of repeated harassment by members of the public on Strand Beach, an adult seal eventually attacked and bit a visitor who walked into the seal on the beach late on Wednesday evening, 18 October 2023 after not seeing the animal. After the attack, the woman was taken to hospital by paramedics where her bite wound was treated.
The City was in contact with the victim again this morning when she was back at the hospital having her wound cleaned and she remains in high spirits. The City will remain in contact with her over the next week to ensure that she is fine and recovers fully.
'Over the last few days, this seal was simply trying to rest on the beach which is normal and expected seal behaviour on our coastline. However the seal has had stones and rocks thrown at it, been prodded with sticks, had dogs attack it and many members of the public tease it so that they can take footage of the seal chasing them. I would like to advise all beach goers that it is illegal to harass any coastal wildlife and the responsibility rests with the public to keep their distance,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
This morning, 19 October 2023 the City's Coastal Management and Law Enforcement teams closed a portion of the beach so that the SPCA Wildlife Unit with the help of Coastal Management, and with permission of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, could safely capture and remove the seal. The seal was transported by the SPCA to the Two Oceans Aquarium for assessment by their wildlife veterinarian to get a health clearance for release at a safe location away from people, but sadly the seal died from the excessive stress.
'We ask that all residents and beach goers in Cape Town leave these animals in peace should they come across them. This is sadly a very common outcome when seals are stressed through harassment or capture and is the main reason why DFFE, the City and the SPCA do not capture and relocate seals as the mortality rate due to stress of capture is very high,' said Alderman Andrews.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
